AN AUDACITY TO CONSIDER THEATER AND DRAMA AS AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD IN PEACEBUILDING AND RECONCILIATION (01)

AN AUDACITY TO CONSIDER THEATER AND DRAMA AS AN
ALTERNATIVE METHOD IN PEACEBUILDING AND
RECONCILIATION
AGBENU ‘ESTHER’ OCHOGA
Nova Southeastern University
Department of Conflict Analysis and Resolution
agbenuesther05@gmail.com
Presented at 2016 Canadain Peace Congress,

2 | P a g e T h e a t e r A n d D r a m a A s A n A l t e r n a t i v e M e t h o d s S u c h A s I n
P e a c e b u i l d i n g A n d R e c o n c i l i a t i o n : A g b e n u E s t h e r O c h o g a ,
Abstract
Different forms of art are prominent for the emotional and mental effect that they have on
people. Be it music, paintings, poems or sculptures; all artworks are effective for relaying
messages to their audiences. Performance arts such as drama and theatre are sometimes referred
to as the mirror of life because it is believed that such arts teach humans how to feel, think, and
perceive different situations in life. The use of theatre and drama for reconciliation and peace
building might seem far-fetched, but it is a promising way of entertaining and reaching out to
"broken hearts" and "aching souls". Humans are social animals and as such capable of interacting
with each other, offending one another, and making peace with one another. However, it is easier
to start a fight than to make peace. If one considers the essence of making or maintaining peace
to the moral, psychological, and physical damage that is caused by conflicts; then it would be
obvious that theatre and drama are underrated peace building and reconciliation methods.
Introduction
The arts appear to offer unique instruments for peacebuilding and reconciliation of
numerous conflicts in contemporary world. Due to their catharsis appeal, intersubjective aspect,
and aesthetical power artistic pieces are able to transform interpersonal and transnational
confrontation into a constructive bilateral communication. Creating of the space, where the
representatives of distinct interests would be able to freely and unbiasedly express their concerns,
dramatic emotions and potential human solutions, should become the priority in this
psychodynamic field. Furthermore, the healing power of art can strongly contribute to the
curative side of the problem, as people engaged into the imaginative interpretation of the
surrounding world, are able not only to pacify the outer reality, but harmonize their inner
cognitive misbalance, imposed by the traumatic experience. Therefore, numerous practitioners in

the sphere of peacebuilding constantly conceptualize and elaborate new strategies to develop
them into an integrated innovative scenario capable of global conflictive issues resolving.
However, those conceptual attempts are evidenced by the lack of solid theory and analytical
research. Valid instruments for conclusive and credible evaluation of art-based techniques. Thus,
the research in this field should move from quite simplistic approaches towards precise and more
productive articulation of artistic manifestations in peacebuilding, effective approaches of their
using, and elaboration of techniques for evaluation of their usage. Therefore, the main purpose of
the paper is to provide an exemplified conceptual framework, which is to contribute into art-
based conflict resolving and peacebuilding. The purpose of this paper is to represent alternative
art-based strategies in peacebuilding in their relation to traditional methods and potential
stereotypes linked to them, and, on the other hand, to analyze these strategies (specifically with
the examples of drama and theatre) as particularly existential and narrative experiences, related
to the spheres of international politics, sociology, anthropology, psychology and ontology.
THEORETICAL CORPUS WITHIN PREVIOUS STUDIES
Despite the fact that art-based initiatives are not yet recognized as the mainstream in
global conflict managing, there are important studies evidence and underline their conceptual
significance. A growing corpus of scholar literature, dedicated to this issue, emphasized the
perceptible interrelation between arts and their potential impact on post-conflict interactive
experiences. Some of these studies, above presenting merely theoretical issues, are coupled with
specific attempts of elaborating participatory techniques for practical uses (Mtukwa, 2015).
Generally, researchers agree on the fact that most organizations, which evolve conflict
meditation do not apply art-based mechanisms as an integral part of their national/international

activity. This is partially because of the stereotype that arts are smooth forces, incapable of
changing drastic real-life controversies. Compared to the hard multi-faceted reality in conflict
areas, artistic expression is perceived as an incompetent instrument, not to say useless one.
However, numerous peacebuilding practitioners initially were experts in social and political
studies rather than in humanities realms or fields of arts (Shank & Schirch, 2008). Likeso,
Michael Shank and Lisa Schirch (2008) are considered to be one of the first who attempted to
shape the conceptual and strategic framework within arts-based peacebuilding. According to the
researchers, the lack of solid theory, empirical database and evaluation criteria on artistic
peacebuilding result into the fact that this newer strategy is perceived as a secondary, minor
model in comparison to mainstream peacebuilding compared to the mainstream liberal schemes.
Nonetheless, Shank and Schirch regard particular arts as potentially effective within conflict
problem-solving. Their list includes literacies, documentary filmmaking, hip-hop music,
installation art, mural painting, chants and agitprop. Tendai Mtukva (2015) adds theatre and
dramatic arts to this list, and, additionally, trace her vision of specific participatory acting
techniques within psychodrama (Mtukwa, 2015). The researcher aims to equip practitioners in
the field with particular and accurate instruments of co-participation within the theatric
expression in the African conflicts areas (Mtukwa, 2015). Particularly, the author states: “Major
Peacebuilding theories provide for the systemic dimension in the peacebuilding process, but
rarely integrate cultural and practical indigenous. Hence local culture and indigenous
knowledges are ignored within mainstream peacebuilding and this can be dis-empowering to
communities” (Mtukwa, 2015, p. 88). Therefore, as viewed by the researcher, the principal and
beneficial aim of participatory theatre in peacebuilding is to take into consideration indigenous

knowledge, practice and mentality. This, as stated by the researcher will highly contribute to
developing bottom-up approaches for competent and effective problem-solving (Mtukwa, 2015).
Another scholar in the sphere of peacebuilding John Lederach (1997) traces an algorithm
for the peacebuilding procedure, incorporating major psychological nuances to its’
understanding. In the first place, the researcher asserts that the work in this sphere, independently
of what artistic field is engaged, should start with the narrative aspect. The events of the past
should be narrated, which is aimed to contribute to conceiving of what and how actually
happened during the conflict. It is highlighted, that mutual acknowledgement is built in such case
on mutual hearing, understanding and compassioning to one another’s stories, which ultimately
gives them a sense of moving forward into the dialogical manner (Lederach, 1997). Importantly,
the theorists emphasize that the story being an organizing steam of human experience and it is
not only focused on what is already known, but also on what is yet to be recognized and
conceived (Booth, 1994). Likeso, Tendai Mtukva regards these narrative-based assertions as an
important premise in peacebuilding strategies, as the story retelling might be an important ice-
breaker that motivates deeper perception of personal surviving violence (Mtukwa, 2015). It is
suggested that the use of participatory theater practices appear to be potent instruments for
creating safe and prolific platform, engaging participants, who can psychologically use the
narratives of themselves to rebuilt one’s own distracted identity and validate the reconciled
identities of other participants. This kind of mutual narrative cooperation can greatly contribute
to the gradual process of healing. Indeed, Judith Butler admits as well, that the acts of self-
narration are highly suggestive of enabling the three-scale cognitive scheme, which is self-
perception, self-recognition and self-crafting (Butler, 2005). Particular statements suggested by
Butler are incorporated in the theory of self and cognitive theory, which in the researcher’s

approach are psychologically correlated to the storytelling/narrative as an integrative part of
every art. The researcher states that the notion of ‘self’ is as whole dependent on the notion of
‘others’. Therefore, self-narration in arts, that assume communicative approach, gives to
participants the opportunity of reconstruction of their identity. Consequently, according to
Butler, self-narration helps to recognize one of the solutions available with the psychodramatic
approach to traumatic experience, such as recognition, relief, healing, and affirmation. As
reported by Butler, the process of witnessing itself by others makes possible a reciprocal
recognition, earlier suggested by Hegel (Butler, 2005, p. 21).
In other words, the arts involving story retelling, direct communication and acting
through narratives allow people within participatory practices to interrogate crucial issues both
about the outer reality and their inner space, and, in the process of instant dynamic sharing of
those narrative experiences, build their motivation for gathering suggested answers and possible
solutions of their critical, post-conflict or post-traumatic situations. Therefore, this strategy is
significantly related to the processes of reflection on the problematic experience and its’
evaluation.
Art-based approaches in peacebuilding in the lights of self-narrating philosophy
Admitting crucial role of self-narrative aspect in the whole art-based approach to the
peacebuilding, we find it important to regard its’ key-issues in more generalized philosophic and
psychological contexts, and more specifically, from the perspective of the narrative self-identity,
primarily articulated by the French philosopher Paul Ricoeur. In our opinion, this will contribute
to conceiving the problem of conflict resolution via arts on broader humanitarian scales, such as

philosophy, psychiatry, sociology or anthropology, and therefore, illustrate the general
significance of art-based strategies for contemporary peacebuilding.
Particularly, since narrative arts are predetermined by personal approach and produced in
human purposes, meaning for others, they are intently linked to philosophical conceptof the
narrative identity. This specific concept was largely explored by the post-classical philosophical
tradition, namely within cultural and anthropological approaches. The concept as a whole is
based on a range of conceptual assumptions, the most important of which are self-identity, self-
narration, and other-self. These were widely explored by traditional hermeneutic philosophy.
Appropriately, Paul Ricoeur, the French scholar of the 20th
century,appeared to be one of the first
thinkers who considered history, time, and narrativity in relation to self-identity. Pointedly, in his
approach the latter was conceived through narrating a story of oneself to others, and, conversely
,of others to oneself (Ricoeur, 2011).
Yet, Ricoeur’s philosophical recognition of personal narrative identity comprises four
major conclusions that are constitutive of his hermeneutic anthropology. They are the following:
1. Since my self-identity is a narrative one, I can conceive myself exclusively by means of
narrative cooperation with other selves.
2. In my involvement with others, I both enact a part assigned to my and can modulate my
identity through my own actions encouraging at the same time changes within the others.
3. As a particular and embodied being with specific biological and psychological features, I
am not able to change everything about my existence, and this is why I cannot call for
perceptible changes in others. This is why narrative becomes the third realm that
consolidated both possibility and non-ability of change, demonstrating it through a
dynamic, mobile identity.

4. There is a number of specific ways in which I can be evaluated, including my lingual
discourse, physical capabilities, technical profile, etc. However, the most important
evaluative dimension is the ethical one, as it constitutes the perspective of existential
responsiveness of the ‘self’ towards ‘Other’.
In order to better enlighten the relation of these statements to our understanding of
narrative arts in peacebuilding, we should explicate the mentioned statements more profoundly.
According to the author of the narrative interpretation, the historical present comprises three
basic elementals, which are actions, sequences, and arrangements. Therefore, Ricoeur considers
the time of historical present in its’ correlation to the agent’s experience and the agent’s
expectation horizon. Conforming to the philosopher, the discourse of historical time isa chiefly
narrative realm, which, by means of retelling the history/story in its’ temporal sequence,
transforms into human lifetime experience (Ricoeur, 1984). Furthermore, as indicated by the
researcher, narratives epitomize the most exact articulations of human time perception, because
they are built on moments when agents are capable of completing an act that can produce certain
impact on the patient. Strictly speaking, narratives are related to self-identity construction, as
human personal experience, which is measured in time and sequence, due to the act of telling the
story, unfolds as interpersonal lasting experience. Moreover, narrating act enables conceptual
linkers with predeceasing experiences (e. g. generation of predecessors) and the moment ‘here
and now’, organizing those in a sequenced continued flow (Ricoeur, 1984). As viewed by the
French thinker, individual ‘self’ comprises two core elements of idem-identity and, above that,
ipse-identity (Ricoeur, 1984). As well, the personal self pertains to the realm of narrative
identity, which, as demonstrated above, is tightly correlated with human verbal articulation in
time and space (Ricoeur, 1984).

As suggested by Ricoeur, due to a cohesive plot and temporal sequence, appropriate to
narrated stories, narrative enables coordination of discordant constituents within a coherent unit.
Since the story involves various episodes with distinct forms of contingencies, including
fictional, meaning nonexistent, narrative performs a consolidative function. However, as
emplotted, those divergent components turn to be perceived, followable, and cognitively
recognized. In the third place, narratives engage not only dealing with events and actions, but
also with participant sand characters (Ricoeur, 1984). More particularly, every participant of the
story accomplishes two functions. The first one is initiating the action, whereas the second one is
undergoing it, which means that the agent not only impacts, but is also impacted by the action
(Ricoeur, 1984). Decisively, narrating also involves the axiological dimension, as it is related to
emotional judging on the narrated story – from appreciation to disapproval. It is critically
important when referring to cooperative situations, as narrative is also suggestive of personal
cognitive response to situation of dialogue or confrontation. All in all, due to its’ cohesiveness
and sequenced character, narrative makes it possible to compose and tell stories on self and
others, and furthermore, refer to multiple viewpoints within them. In these terms, these are
narratives that predetermine the character of the identity and the narrative identity, in its’ turn, is
revealing of the personality characteristics (Ricoeur, 1984). In other words, it can be concluded
that individuals construct their self-identities in the same way as they construct, identify or
construct narrated stories and characters in them. Specifically, it is suggested that individuals
perceive narrated issues as cognitive reflections of themselves (Ricoeur, 1984). Respectively,
people conceptualize individual identities through narrative exploiting of personal experiences.
Furthermore, it is underlined that self-identity is originally changeable, flowing issue, and
it cannot be represented as a fixed matter (Ricoeur, 2011). Put in the story, it unfolds in the

dialectic dimension, and ‘flows’ as much as the narrative does (Ricoeur, 2011). Additionally,
while building their identities through retelling stories, individuals have to face other identities,
involved in their or other people’s stories. In these terms narratives are the interrelation not only
with an individual and outer world, but also with individuals as representatives of distinct
identities, in other words with ‘Me’ and ‘Other’. This process actually points the algorithm of the
‘self’-identity transforming into the ‘we’-identity with broader range of additional identities,
including gender, national, religious, and social ones etc. (Ricoeur, 2011). When applied to
mutual discussing traumas and conflict experience, undergone in the past, such a narrative
approach can specifically explain the process of rebuilding and harmonizing one’s identity
through narrative a personal story to other participants of the artistic communication. As a matter
of fact, regarded from a dialogical perspective, this premise exemplifies more fundamental,
existential implication of ‘Other’ within the artistic expression. Indeed, as explained by the
philosopher, recognizing the ‘Other’ within narrative experiences contributes to prospective
conceiving of the ‘Other Self’, distinguished as one of the aspects within the ‘mobile identity’
(Ricoeur, 1992). Applied to the peacebuilding sphere, this can be recognized as an important
methodological issue in cases where the participants of different sides with distinct interests are
represented as well.
Drama and theatre as narrative strategies of peacebuilding
It appears that narrative approach has one more important benefit, as due to its’
fundamental omnipresence in all spheres of human life (politics, society, diplomacy and arts) it
can reconcile newer artistic approaches within peacebuilding strategies and already recognized
traditional mechanisms in peacebuilding. Importantly, as highlighted above, narratives highly

contribute to conceiving the world in its’ dynamic changes, recognizable in the transformational
nature of human conflicts. Indeed, according to theorist Volkner Boege, traditional approaches to
peacebuilding and conflict resolution continue to play significant role in contemporary world, as
their conceptual basis is highly adaptable and already approved by different contexts (Boege,
2011). The example is drastic changes within world conflict transformation. The empirical point
for that is the new hybrid character of political orders in many parts of the world, for example in
the South, led to emerging of new wars and conflicts. The difference of those new wars consists
in the fact that their leaders and participants, due to miscomprehension and mixt of cultural
codes, do not consider national borders, territorial integrity or state sovereignty(Boege, 2011).
Therefore, this can perfectly exemplify why narrative arts appear to be effective instruments in
peacebuilding. Drama and theater can serve specific examples to this conceptual point.
In the first place, as a literature genre, drama itself represents a situation of confronted
points of views and relationships. Both spectators and actors appear to be strongly involved in
the conflict itself and strive for its resolution. Specific terms, used in the theory of the drama,
imply the notions of ‘protagonist’ and ‘antagonist’, which means that the parts and interests are
divided from the very beginning (Löfgren and Malm, 2005). In continuation, the analysis within
both drama and conflict is highly dependable on emotional scale. Empathy, as well as catharsis
appeal are crucially important, especially when the dramatic narrative is focused on actual
process of peacebuilding. Therefore, due to the specific genre nature, drama is designated to
conceive and potentially resolve conflict. However, practitioners who study drama as a
resolution practice emphasize the importance of framing and locating distinct cultural traditions,
acquired knowledge, value systems and mental beliefs in case when dramatic transformation is
aimed at accessing context-specific matters (Arendshorst, 2005). Furthermore, since based on

conflict, dramais concerned with actual actions and resolving disputes, and in these terms drama,
as well as any narrative is aimed at crossing borders between objective and subjective
representation
(Prentki, 2009). Indeed, as highlighted by Joe Kelleher, drama, above mere observation,
provokes reactions and responses, and, therefore, it has a three-dimensional function of
influence, informing and educating (Kelleher, 2009). Tendai Mtukwa also indicates that
theatrical pieces are often criticized for focusing on individual issues rather than on macrocosm
representations, or important social manifestations (Mtukwa, 2015). However, Rwandan
historical background can serve a valid contradiction with over 300 theatre establishments and
associations emerged in the post-genocide period throughout the country. Ultimately recognized
by the government, they were really able to have a national psycho-dramatic effect (Breed 2008).
Another prolific example was observed in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On its’ ground
The United Nations mission concluded that arts-based initiatives significantly contributed to
prolific peace negotiations. This can be explained by the fact that those strategies were easily
understood toall social participants, including women and children known to be generally
neglected in formal political dialogues (Gordon and Myers 2001).
Conclusion
The purpose of the paper was to examine art-based participatory practices and approaches
to problem solving in two general aspects. In the first place the attempt was done to conceive
those methods as alternative and newer in comparison to validated traditional schemes of
peacebuilding, which led to the conclusion, that although this methodology is yet to acquire
proper evaluation criteria and empirical evidence, a growing number of theoretical corpus

evidences its’ significance. Secondly, the alternative art-based methods were regarded in the
lights of narrative approach and self-identity theory, which led to the conclusion that arts appear
to be powerful instruments of problem-solving due to the fundamental role of narration,
appropriate to all kinds of arts. Therefore, self-narration plays crucial role in the artistic
peacebuilding as it brings together three key-points of human existential experience: self-
representation, self-positioning and conceiving of the ‘Other’. Crucial in the theory of drama,
these premises efficiently work for conflict-resolving, as the genre nature of drama itself is
closely connected to the conflict of viewpoints, interests and stand-points. Therefore, dramatic
explanation of the world is highly relative to the narrative, with the difference that theatrical
expression motivates to undertaking actual actions for problem solving. Particularly this can be
illustrated by African historical background (case studies of Rwanda and Congo).

References
1. Arendshorst, Thomas R. (2005). Drama in conflict transformation. Available from:
<http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/drama> [Accessed 20 November 2015].
2. Boege, V. (2011). Potential and limits of traditional approaches in peacebuilding. In:
Berghof research centre for constructive conflict management ed. Berghof handbook of
conflict transformation, Berlin, Berghof. pp. 431–457.
3. Breed, A.(2008). Performing the nation: Theatre in post-genocide Rwanda.The Drama
Review, 52 (1) (T197), pp. 32–50.
4. Butler, J. (2005). Giving an account of yourself. New York, Fordham University Press.
5. Gordon N. &H. Myers. (2001). Theatre for Peace-building in Goma and the Kivu
Provinces.Available
from:<http//:unescocommunity_theatre_in_kivu_/gordonandmyers/casestudy>[Accessed
20 November 2015].
6. Mtukwa, T. (2015). Informal peacebuilding initiatives in Africa: Removing the
table. African Journal on Conflict Resolution, 15(1), 85-106. Available
from:file:///C:/Users/User/Desktop/ACCORD-ajcr-2015-1_entire.pdf [Accessed 20
November 2015].
7. Shank, M. & Schirch, L. (2008). Strategic arts-based peace-building. Journal of Peace
and Change, 33 (2). Available from: <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1468-
0130.2008.00490.x/abstract>[Accessed 20 November 2015].
8. Lederach, J. (1997). Building peace: Sustainable reconstruction in divided societies.
Washington, D.C., United States Institute of Peace.

9. Löfgren, H. &Malm, B.(2005). Bridging the fields of drama and conflict management:
Empowering students to handle conflicts through school-based programmes. Malmö,
DRACON International.
10. Prentki, T. (2009). Applied theatre in a global village. In: Prentki, Tim and Sheila
Preston eds. The applied theatre reader. London, Routledge. pp. 251–253.
11. Ricoeur, Paul. (1992). Oneself as Another, trans. Kathleen Blamey, Chicago: University
of Chicago Press, 1992 (1990).
12. Ricoeur, Paul. (1984). Time and Narrative (3 vols. trans. Kathleen McLaughlin and
David Pellauer; Chicago). University of Chicago Press, 1.
13. Paul Ricoeur. (2011). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Available from:
<http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ricoeur >[First published Mon Nov 11, 2002,
substantive revision Mon Apr 18, 2011. Accessed 20 November 2015].

AN AUDACITY TO CONSIDER THEATER AND DRAMA AS AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD IN PEACEBUILDING AND RECONCILIATION (01)

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to AN AUDACITY TO CONSIDER THEATER AND DRAMA AS AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD IN PEACEBUILDING AND RECONCILIATION (01)

Similar to AN AUDACITY TO CONSIDER THEATER AND DRAMA AS AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD IN PEACEBUILDING AND RECONCILIATION (01) (20)

AN AUDACITY TO CONSIDER THEATER AND DRAMA AS AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD IN PEACEBUILDING AND RECONCILIATION (01)