Participatory theatre for human rights: Exploring its benefits for newcomers in London in view of the UK’s hostile environment

Abstract

Apart from bridging the fields of participatory theatre and human rights research, the main aim of this thesis was to explore how participatory theatre helps newcomers in London to navigate the UK’s ‘hostile environment’ and promote their lived experiences as valuable human rights knowledge. First, the thesis conceptualised how both fields are interlinked, building on existing literature about epistemic injustice, dialectical theatre, the aesthetics of human rights, and theatres of sanctuary. Next, with the Theatre of the Oppressed framework as theoretical and methodological underpinning, seventeen qualitative interviews were conducted with newcomers, theatre practitioners and experts, complemented by an immersion into a series of five theatre workshops with newcomers. The thematic data analysis showed that, amongst newcomers, participatory theatre nurtured a sense of community, belonging and safety, and enabled healing and expression. Newcomers also felt empowered to counter one-sided, dehumanising and victimising narratives, despite the overall challenges of reaching target audiences and persuading them to take action. However, an explicit human rights language was rarely used, indicating that further research is needed on participatory theatre’s capacity as a direct source of human rights knowledge. Lastly, most companies found the benefits of their recognition as a theatre of sanctuary rather minimal.