Shah, Shahnaz Mohd Baldev (2020) Theatre and education in Malaysia’s public universities : a case study of the MAKUM theatre festival. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

In general terms, the aim of the thesis is to examine the extent to which theatre (studies) features as a progressive discipline within the context of the Malaysian education system, in particular at university level. The impulse for such a study is given on the one hand by a perceived lack of developmental provision but, on the other, by a sense of potential within certain existing initiatives and structures such as the so-called MAKUM Theatre Festival (MAKUM stands for Majlis Kebudayaan Universiti-Universiti Malaysia and is the cultural council of public universities in Malaysia). This is an inter-university level theatre competition in which public university students in Malaysia participate. The event is organised by the MAKUM Secretariat or university cultural officers with support from several bodies such as the National Culture and Arts Agency. Supposedly a yearly event, the past years have however seen several controversial shifts in the nature and handling of the programme. This study, at its core, examines the MAKUM Theatre Festival 2014-2015, a lengthier and more large-scale project compared to those of previous cycles. It identifies issues attached to the event, both external and internal, among which are policy-based, economic, cultural and racial sensitivities. An enquiry into the foundations of MAKUM and its Theatre Festival reveals several inconsistencies that seemingly contradict the goals and objectives of the programme. The matter is made more complex by virtue of the dynamic relationship of the programme with surrounding cultural, racial, religious, and societal influences. As a means of gauging the potential and efficacy of the MAKUM Theatre Festival at public universities in Malaysia, the study draws comparatively on practices implemented by the extra-curricular Creative Campus movement in the US and aspects of Beyond the Campus in the UK. As an extra-curricular phenomenon, the MAKUM Theatre Festival offers students the chance of informal creative multi- and interdisciplinary exchange, thus contributing to a richer learning experience in their time at university. In the end, the study gives insights into the inner workings of a theatre project at university level and expects to contribute towards policy and practical changes to ensure its effective continuation, while also making proposals for the future of theatre education in Malaysia as a whole.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General) > PN2000 Dramatic representation. The Theater
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Theater -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- Malaysia, Drama festivals -- Malaysia -- Case studies
Official Date:	June 2020
Dates:	Date Event June 2020 UNSPECIFIED
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	School of Theatre, Performance and Cultural Policy Studies
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Whybrow, Nicolas ; Winston, Joe, 1953-
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	x, 434 leaves : colour illustrations
Language:	eng

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