Theater of the Oppressed for Critical Peace Education Practice: Difficult Dialogues in the Turkish University Classroom

• In Event: Rich Global Perspectives on Peace Education

Abstract

This study emphasizes the urgent need for critical peace education practice cultivated by researchers, practitioners, and participants in ways relevant to the Turkish educational settings. Towards this goal, it is first discussed that educating for peace has to be a critical initiative due to its inherently controversial and challenging nature. Afterwards, Theater of the Oppressed, as it is developed by Augusto Boal, is explored in detail as an inspiring tool for the aspirations and challenges of critical peace education practice. Finally, a piece of practice from a Turkish university classroom is presented in order to illustrate the affordances and limitations of employing Theater of the Oppressed in similar higher education contexts.

Author

• Gulistan Gursel-Bilgin, Boğaziçi University