Re-Thinking Theatre in Shaping Human Rights Discourse: The Role of Applied Theatre
Keywords:
Applied Theatre, Human Rights Education, Forum Theatre, Community Theatre, Critical Pedagogy, Ghana, Prison Theatre, Social InclusionAbstract
Theatre has historically functioned as a reflective and transformative medium within communities, yet its application as a tool for human rights education within carceral environments in sub‑Saharan Africa remains underexplored. The paper investigates how forum theatre and community theatre—two key forms of applied theatre—contribute to human rights education, justice, and social inclusion within selected prisons in Accra, Ghana. Guided by critical pedagogy and performance theory, the study employs a qualitative case study approach using documentary analysis, semi‑structured interviews, and participant observation. Findings reveal that applied theatre creates dialogic spaces within the prison environment. These spaces enhance inmates’ awareness of human rights. They also challenge prevailing narratives of justice and incarceration. Additionally, applied theatre fosters social inclusion among participants and supports the reconstruction of individual identities. Theatre emerges as a participatory, embodied pedagogy enabling incarcerated individuals to rehearse agency, renegotiate power relations, and articulate lived experiences of injustice. The study contributes to emerging scholarship on arts‑based human rights education in West Africa and highlights practical implications for policymakers and practitioners seeking to integrate theatre into rehabilitative and civic education frameworks.
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