This volume offers researchers and practitioners new perspectives on applied theatre work, exploring the relationship between applied theatre and its intent, success and value. Applied theatre is a well-established field focused on the social application of the arts in a range of contexts including schools, prisons, residential aged care and community settings. The increased uptake of applied theatre in these contexts requires increased analysis and understanding of indications of success and value. This volume provides critical commentary and questions regarding issues associated with developing, delivering and evaluating applied theatre programs. Part 1 of the volume presents a discussion of the ways the concept of change is presented to and by funding bodies, practitioners, participants, researchers and policy makers to discover and analyse the relationships between applied theatre practice, transformative intent, and evaluation. Part 2 of the volume offers perspectives from key authors in the field which extend and contextualize the discussion by examining key themes and practice-based examples.

This book explores how the concepts of social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion can be understood within the context of higher education. While terms such as these are often in common use in universities, they are not always used with clarity and precision. The editors and contributors offer a serious and detailed examination of pressing contemporary concerns around 'social justice' across politics, practice and pedagogy in order to encourage hard thinking and practical agenda setting for social-justice oriented research, teaching and community engagement. Drawing upon new theoretical work, research projects and innovative university teaching, this book offers both useful theoretical insights and practical possibilities for action. This collective and collaborative volume will be of interest and value to all those interested in promoting social justice, in particular how it can be promoted within the university setting.

The only comprehensive and global account of theatre made by, for and with young people of all ages. Written primarily for the applied theatre market, which is one of the main pillars of theatre studies in English speaking countries. No other book has the global scope, breadth of coverage or range of perspectives that this one collects together.

Critical Themes in Drama is concerned with the relationship between drama and the current socio-political context. It builds on and contributes to ongoing scholarly conversations regarding the use, benefit, challenges and opportunities for drama and theatre as a social, cultural, educational and political act. The intention of this book is to canvas current theory and practice in drama, to provide an extended examination of how drama as a pro-social practice intersects with socio-cultural institutions, to link critical discourse and examine ways drama may contribute to a broader social justice agenda. Authors draw on a variety of theoretical tools from the fields of sociology, anthropology and cultural studies. This combines with an exploration of work from drama practitioners across a variety of countries and practices to provide a map of how the field is shaped and how we might understand drama praxis as a social, cultural and political force for change. This book offers drama scholars, practitioners, researchers and teachers a critical exploration which is both hopeful and critical; acknowledging the complexities and potential pitfalls, while celebrating the opportunities for drama as a practice for social action and positive change.

Critical Themes in Drama is concerned with the relationship between drama and the current socio-political context. It builds on and contributes to ongoing scholarly conversations regarding the use, benefit, challenges and opportunities for drama and theatre as a social, cultural, educational and political act. The intention of this book is to canvas current theory and practice in drama, to provide an extended examination of how drama as a pro-social practice intersects with socio-cultural institutions, to link critical discourse and examine ways drama may contribute to a broader social justice agenda. Authors draw on a variety of theoretical tools from the fields of sociology, anthropology and cultural studies. This combines with an exploration of work from drama practitioners across a variety of countries and practices to provide a map of how the field is shaped and how we might understand drama praxis as a social, cultural and political force for change. This book offers drama scholars, practitioners, researchers and teachers a critical exploration which is both hopeful and critical; acknowledging the complexities and potential pitfalls, while celebrating the opportunities for drama as a practice for social action and positive change.

"This text offers a cohesive framework for exploring social justice through drama and drama from a social justice perspective. Research based examples of practice from a range of international contexts link theory and practice. Connecting chapters raise key critical questions in an engaging dialogue format. An important addition to the literature on social justice education." - Lee Anne Bell, author Storytelling for Social Justice (2010) and co-editor of Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (Routledge, 2007) Much has been written within the tradition of drama education and applied theatre around the premise that drama can be a force for change within both individual lives and society more broadly. However, little has been published in terms of charting the nature of this relationship. By combining theoretical, historical and practical perspectives, this book unpacks and explores drama's intrinsically entwined relationship with society more comprehensively and critically. Chapters gather together and develop a range of theoretical understandings of social justice in applied drama in the first part of the book, which are then used to frame and inform more focused discussions of drama research and practice in the second. Contributors move beyond practical understandings of drama for empowerment or development in order to engage with the philosophy of praxis - the interconnected and symbiotic nature of theory derived from practice, and practice derived from theory. Including concrete examples from current research and practice in the field, the book opens up a conversation on and counter-narrative to perceptions of the nature and impact of applied theatre and drama education on social justice. Drama and Social Justice will be key reading for postgraduate students, academics, researchers and field-based practitioners in the areas of applied drama and theatre, education and youth work, and social justice and the social sciences.

Partnerships in Education Research provides the epistemological and philosophical basis for engaging with partners in research and discusses many of the practical issues facing researchers such as finding the right research partner, developing partnership protocols, joint planning approaches and creating effective research relationships. The authors also consider the theoretical, ethical and socio- cultural aspects of partnership research and the potential for partnership research to have long lasting effects on educational practice. The book draws on a diverse range of case studies to explore practical issues, methodologies, challenges, and benefits of partnership research in education. Partnerships in Education Research offers a series of principles and models that can be applied to the development of an effective partnership research project.

This volume offers researchers and practitioners new perspectives on applied theatre work, exploring the relationship between applied theatre and its intent, success and value. Applied theatre is a well-established field focused on the social application of the arts in a range of contexts including schools, prisons, residential aged care and community settings. The increased uptake of applied theatre in these contexts requires increased analysis and understanding of indications of success and value. This volume provides critical commentary and questions regarding issues associated with developing, delivering and evaluating applied theatre programs. Part 1 of the volume presents a discussion of the ways the concept of change is presented to and by funding bodies, practitioners, participants, researchers and policy makers to discover and analyse the relationships between applied theatre practice, transformative intent, and evaluation. Part 2 of the volume offers perspectives from key authors in the field which extend and contextualize the discussion by examining key themes and practice-based examples.

"This text offers a cohesive framework for exploring social justice through drama and drama from a social justice perspective. Research based examples of practice from a range of international contexts link theory and practice. Connecting chapters raise key critical questions in an engaging dialogue format. An important addition to the literature on social justice education." - Lee Anne Bell, author Storytelling for Social Justice (2010) and co-editor of Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (Routledge, 2007) Much has been written within the tradition of drama education and applied theatre around the premise that drama can be a force for change within both individual lives and society more broadly. However, little has been published in terms of charting the nature of this relationship. By combining theoretical, historical and practical perspectives, this book unpacks and explores drama's intrinsically entwined relationship with society more comprehensively and critically. Chapters gather together and develop a range of theoretical understandings of social justice in applied drama in the first part of the book, which are then used to frame and inform more focused discussions of drama research and practice in the second. Contributors move beyond practical understandings of drama for empowerment or development in order to engage with the philosophy of praxis - the interconnected and symbiotic nature of theory derived from practice, and practice derived from theory. Including concrete examples from current research and practice in the field, the book opens up a conversation on and counter-narrative to perceptions of the nature and impact of applied theatre and drama education on social justice. Drama and Social Justice will be key reading for postgraduate students, academics, researchers and field-based practitioners in the areas of applied drama and theatre, education and youth work, and social justice and the social sciences.

This book explores how the concepts of social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion can be understood within the context of higher education. While terms such as these are often in common use in universities, they are not always used with clarity and precision. The editors and contributors offer a serious and detailed examination of pressing contemporary concerns around 'social justice' across politics, practice and pedagogy in order to encourage hard thinking and practical agenda setting for social-justice oriented research, teaching and community engagement. Drawing upon new theoretical work, research projects and innovative university teaching, this book offers both useful theoretical insights and practical possibilities for action. This collective and collaborative volume will be of interest and value to all those interested in promoting social justice, in particular how it can be promoted within the university setting.

Partnerships in Education Research provides the epistemological and philosophical basis for engaging with partners in research and discusses many of the practical issues facing researchers such as finding the right research partner, developing partnership protocols, joint planning approaches and creating effective research relationships. The authors also consider the theoretical, ethical and socio- cultural aspects of partnership research and the potential for partnership research to have long lasting effects on educational practice. The book draws on a diverse range of case studies to explore practical issues, methodologies, challenges, and benefits of partnership research in education. Partnerships in Education Research offers a series of principles and models that can be applied to the development of an effective partnership research project.