Kitchen, Jennifer (2018) Power of play: facilitating ensemble ‘third space’ for active citizenship in Shakespeare education. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

Ensemble pedagogy - i.e. teaching and learning which is active, democratic and theatrebased – is increasingly recognised as a valuable approach to teaching Shakespeare, and more broadly as a pedagogy which fosters active and democratic citizenship. However, research has demonstrated when ensemble pedagogy is applied in ‘default pedagogy’ mainstream school contexts it can become ‘domesticated’ and lose its democratic focus.

This research draws on the long-held interest in children’s play in theatre and drama education practice to suggest a focus on play in ensemble pedagogy could re-centre understandings of the approach around it’s democratic genesis. In order to do this, concepts from the socio-cultural second ‘paradigm’ of play research were drawn on to conceive of playfulness as a subjunctifying mode of discourse.

Through a series of critical ethnographic studies of schools participating in the annual UK ensemble-based Shakespeare Schools Foundation performance festival this study seeks to explore and articulate the role of play as a subjunctive mode of discourse in ensemble pedagogy, particularly in relation to its democratic aims. The results suggest that participants utilised playful discourse to undertake reflexive identity work and to actively and collaboratively play with Shakespeare as a performative text. I theorise this can be understood as the creation of an ensemble third space for active citizenship within their school contexts.

Though there was variation in the extent to which this was achieved in the schools, the active citizenship enacted in these ensemble third spaces can thus be read as an act of social hope. With its co-constructive, generative quality, this framing of ensemble pedagogy resists the metric and miracles rhetoric of domestication and is the core contribution of this thesis.

These findings hold implications for further space, identity and discourse focused research in theatre and drama education, and for developing ensemble pedagogy training approaches in Shakespeare education and beyond.

Item Type:	Thesis or Dissertation (PhD)
Subjects:	P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General) > PN2000 Dramatic representation. The Theater P Language and Literature > PR English literature
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Study and teaching -- Great Britain, Children's theater -- Study and teaching, Drama in education
Official Date:	November 2018
Dates:	Date Event November 2018 UNSPECIFIED
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Centre for Education Studies
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Neelands, Jonothan
Sponsors:	Economic and Social Research Council (Great Britain)
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	281 leaves
Language:	eng

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