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Theatre for development in Kenya : in search of an effective procedure and methodology

Thesis (DPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004.

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Main Author: Odhiambo, Christopher
Other Authors: Hauptfleisch, Temple
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2012
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access_status_str Open Access
author Odhiambo, Christopher
author2 Hauptfleisch, Temple
author_browse Hauptfleisch, Temple
Odhiambo, Christopher
author_facet Hauptfleisch, Temple
Odhiambo, Christopher
author_sort Odhiambo, Christopher
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (DPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/20919
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:43:20.403Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2012
publishDateRange 2012
publishDateSort 2012
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
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source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/20919 Theatre for development in Kenya : in search of an effective procedure and methodology Odhiambo, Christopher Hauptfleisch, Temple Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Drama. Theater and society -- Kenya Community theater -- Kenya Theater in community development -- Kenya Theater for development -- Kenya Theses -- Drama Dissertations -- Drama Thesis (DPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This is a study of Theatre for Development (TfD) in Kenya. It is an attempt to map out and describe different manifestations of the practice which would, in a way, act as a critical model for practitioners and other stakeholders. However, this is in no way an attempt to provide a rigid all-purpose theoretical model, but nonetheless to offer ways, through a description of aspects of Theatre for Development, within which and through which social and behavioural transformations in this eclectic field may take place. To this end, case studies of a few indicative and contrasting examples of Theatre for Development will be used to provide a mirror which will enable its practitioners to reflect upon and critique their own practices as a way of achieving optimum effectiveness. The works of Paulo Freire and Augusto Boal provide the study with a theoretical model in which its basic assumptions and arguments are tested and developed. These two authors, whose works are related in many ways, privilege the use of participatory approaches in the process of creating critical consciousness and promoting change in the individual and in society; these are fundamental requirements in any meaningful practice of Theatre for Development. The findings of this study reveal the discursive and eclectic state of the practice of Theatre for Development in Kenya as originating from a multiplicity of factors such as the skills (or lack thereof) of the practitioners, government interference and the prescriptive agenda and demands of the project funding bodies, institutions and agencies as well as the proliferation of NGOs using Theatre for Development but lacking its foundational philosophy and methodology. This study therefore suggests that, for the enterprise to be more effective and efficient there is a serious need to reflect critically on its procedures and methodology in order to improve and guide its operation. These fundamental aspects include collaborative research, codification, interactive participation, and facilitation and intervention, and are not prescriptive matters but descriptive, arrived at through a critical analysis of a number of Theatre for Development activities in Kenya. Ultimately the research process has thus highlighted a number of weaknesses and strengths in the practice of Theatre for Development in Kenya. Because Theatre for Development is a performance event, the study utilised both quantitative and qualitative research methods. This was necessary, because the study depended on a bibliographical review, unstructured interviews and action research, where the researcher participated in Theatre for Development projects, happenings and related activities AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie is ‘n ondersoek na Teater vir Ontwikkelling in Kenya. Dit poog om die verskillende manifestasies van die praktyk te karteer en beskryf waardeur dit, tot ‘n mate, a kritiese model vir praktisyns en aandeelhouers kan dien. Die onderneming is egter op geen wyse ‘n soeke na ‘n rigiede, allesomvattende teoretiese model nie, maar bied tog ‘n beskrywing van aspekte van Teater vir Ontwikkelling waarbinne en waardeur transformasie van sosiale optrede en handeling in hierdie eklektiese veld kan plaasvind. Met dit in gedagte word na ‘n aantal toepaslike en kontrasterende gevallestudies van Teater vir Ontwikkelling gekyk om ‘n perspektief te ontwikkel wat praktisyns in staat sal stel om hulle eie praktyke krities en effektief te kan evalueer. Die werk en geskrifte van Paulo Freire en Augusto Boal verskaf die teoretiese model vir hierdie ondersoek, wat die basiese beginsels en uitgangspunte daarvan in die Afrika-konteks uittoets en ontwikkel. Hierdie skrywers, wie se werke nou verband hou met mekaar, gee voorkeur aan ‘n interaktiewe, deelnemende benaderings tot die ontwikkelling van ‘n kritiese bewussyn en die stimulering van verandering by die individu en in die gemeenskap. Dié benaderings is fundamenteel tot enige sinvolle aanwending van Teater vir Ontwikkelling. Daar is bevind dat die beoefening van Teater vir Ontwikkelling in Kenia uiters eklekties en uiteenlopend van aard is en dat hierdie stand van sake toegeskryf kan word aan ‘n verskeidenheid faktore, insluitend die vaardighede (of tekort aan vaardighede) van praktisyns, inmenging deur die regering, voorskriftelike agendas en vereistes gestel deur borge en befondsingsagentskappe, edm. ‘n Ander faktor is die geweldige toename in nie-regeringsorganisasies (NGO’s) wat van Teater vir Ontwikkelling gebruik maak terwyl hulle nie oor die basiese filosofiese en metodologiese kennis en opleiding beskik nie. Die bevinding is dus dat sodanige programme slegs meer effektief en doeltreffend bedryf kan word indien daar ernstig besin word oor fundamentele prosedures en metodologieë, om aan die verdere bedryf van die program(me) rigting te kan gee en uitkomste te verbeter. Fundamentele aspekte hierby betrek sou insluit spannavorsing, samewerking, kodifisering, interaktiewe deelname, fasilitering en intervensie, wat nie voorskriftelik is nie, maar beskrywend en rigtinggewend van aard, afgelei uit ‘n kritiese ontleding van ‘n aantal Teater vir Ontwikkelling aktiwiteite in Kenia. Die navorsing het dus uiteindelik ‘n aantal sterk- en swakpunte in die praktyk van Teater vir Ontwikkelling in Kenia belig. Omdat Teater vir Ontwikkelling ‘n aanbiedings-gebeurtenis (“performance event”) is, het die ondersoek beide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes gebruik. Dit was nodig omdat die ondersoek gebruik gemaak het van formele literatuurstudie, sowel as ongestruktureerde onderhoude en aksienavorsing, waartydens die navorser self deelgeneem het aan van die Teater vir Ontwikkelling projekte, gebeure en aktiwiteite. Doctoral 2012-05-07T14:14:30Z 2012-05-07T14:14:30Z 2005-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/20919 en_ZA Stellenbosch University xvi, 201 p. : ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle Theater and society -- Kenya
Community theater -- Kenya
Theater in community development -- Kenya
Theater for development -- Kenya
Theses -- Drama
Dissertations -- Drama
Odhiambo, Christopher
Theatre for development in Kenya : in search of an effective procedure and methodology
title Theatre for development in Kenya : in search of an effective procedure and methodology
title_full Theatre for development in Kenya : in search of an effective procedure and methodology
title_fullStr Theatre for development in Kenya : in search of an effective procedure and methodology
title_full_unstemmed Theatre for development in Kenya : in search of an effective procedure and methodology
title_short Theatre for development in Kenya : in search of an effective procedure and methodology
title_sort theatre for development in kenya in search of an effective procedure and methodology
topic Theater and society -- Kenya
Community theater -- Kenya
Theater in community development -- Kenya
Theater for development -- Kenya
Theses -- Drama
Dissertations -- Drama
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/20919
work_keys_str_mv AT odhiambochristopher theatrefordevelopmentinkenyainsearchofaneffectiveprocedureandmethodology