Forum Theatre for Conflict Transformationin East Africa: The Domain of the Possible

Abstract

From intimate domestic disputes to politically maneuvered ethnic clashes, power dynamics lie at the heart of conflict. Three organizations—Amani People’s Theatre from Kenya, Budondo Intercultural Center from Uganda, and Presence Center for Applied Theatre Arts from the United States—use Forum Theatre as a nonviolent force for change and leadership development in East African villages and slums, helping communities learn from each other and transform their conflicts from the inside out. This briefing paper provides a theoretical overview of participatory theatre methodologies. It examines seven case studies in which Forum Theatre has identified underlying community issues and offered a laboratory for imagining more just and peaceful alternatives to conflict.