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Popular Theatre and Non-Formal Education in Botswana: A Critique of Pseudo-Participatory Popular Education. Working Paper No. 5 (Revised).

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Title: Popular Theatre and Non-Formal Education in Botswana: A Critique of Pseudo-Participatory Popular Education. Working Paper No. 5 (Revised).
Language: English
Authors: Kidd, Ross, Byram, Martin, Participatory Research Group, Toronto (Ontario).
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 40
Publication Date: 1982
Document Type: Opinion Papers
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Adoption (Ideas), Case Studies, Change Strategies, Cultural Activities, Developing Nations, Foreign Countries, Nonformal Education, Political Power, Political Socialization, Popular Culture, Popular Education, Program Descriptions, Social Action, Social Status, Theater Arts
Geographic Terms: Botswana
Abstract: Designed to show that highly participatory, engaging, entertaining, and locally understandable communication forms can be used not only to liberate but also to domesticate, this paper presents case studies of several nonformal education projects in Botswana that attempted to follow the approach of Paulo Freire by using popular theatre to encourage participation, raise issues, foster discussion, and promote collective action. Topics include "Laedza Batanani," the first experiment using theater for nonformal education in Botswana; popular theatre and resettlement education; popular theater and Freirian literacy work; and participatory research, puppetry, and appropriate technology. A systematic analysis of the issues involved clarifies earlier writing on the subject which failed to portray some of the key contradictions in this work and tended to mystify the popular base of this activity. Focus is on the pseudo-participatory nature of the program; the involvement of the villagers as actors, audience, and discussion members without allowing popular control over the process; and the direction of change. The dual potential of popular theatre is clarified--i.e., its capacity for authentic popular expression and raising critical class consciousness, and/or for disseminating dominant class ideas and inducing acceptance of the status quo. Fourteen references are listed. (LMM)
Entry Date: 1985
Accession Number: ED248868
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
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PubType: Editorial & Opinion
PubTypeId: editorialOpinion
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
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  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Popular Theatre and Non-Formal Education in Botswana: A Critique of Pseudo-Participatory Popular Education. Working Paper No. 5 (Revised).
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  Data: English
– Name: Author
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kidd%2C+Ross%22">Kidd, Ross</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Byram%2C+Martin%22">Byram, Martin</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Participatory+Research+Group%2C+Toronto+%28Ontario%29%2E%22">Participatory Research Group, Toronto (Ontario).</searchLink>
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: N
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 40
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 1982
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
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  Data: Opinion Papers<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adoption+%28Ideas%29%22">Adoption (Ideas)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Case+Studies%22">Case Studies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Change+Strategies%22">Change Strategies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+Activities%22">Cultural Activities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Developing+Nations%22">Developing Nations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nonformal+Education%22">Nonformal Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Political+Power%22">Political Power</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Political+Socialization%22">Political Socialization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Popular+Culture%22">Popular Culture</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Popular+Education%22">Popular Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Descriptions%22">Program Descriptions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Action%22">Social Action</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Status%22">Social Status</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Theater+Arts%22">Theater Arts</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Botswana%22">Botswana</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Designed to show that highly participatory, engaging, entertaining, and locally understandable communication forms can be used not only to liberate but also to domesticate, this paper presents case studies of several nonformal education projects in Botswana that attempted to follow the approach of Paulo Freire by using popular theatre to encourage participation, raise issues, foster discussion, and promote collective action. Topics include "Laedza Batanani," the first experiment using theater for nonformal education in Botswana; popular theatre and resettlement education; popular theater and Freirian literacy work; and participatory research, puppetry, and appropriate technology. A systematic analysis of the issues involved clarifies earlier writing on the subject which failed to portray some of the key contradictions in this work and tended to mystify the popular base of this activity. Focus is on the pseudo-participatory nature of the program; the involvement of the villagers as actors, audience, and discussion members without allowing popular control over the process; and the direction of change. The dual potential of popular theatre is clarified--i.e., its capacity for authentic popular expression and raising critical class consciousness, and/or for disseminating dominant class ideas and inducing acceptance of the status quo. Fourteen references are listed. (LMM)
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 1985
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED248868
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 40
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Adoption (Ideas)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Case Studies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Change Strategies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cultural Activities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Developing Nations
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Nonformal Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Political Power
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Political Socialization
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Popular Culture
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Popular Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Descriptions
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Action
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Status
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Theater Arts
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Botswana
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Popular Theatre and Non-Formal Education in Botswana: A Critique of Pseudo-Participatory Popular Education. Working Paper No. 5 (Revised).
        Type: main
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            NameFull: Participatory Research Group, Toronto (Ontario).
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            NameFull: Kidd, Ross
      – PersonEntity:
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            NameFull: Byram, Martin
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              M: 08
              Type: published
              Y: 1982
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