509742 - FORMS AND PROCESSES OF PARTICIPATORY THEATER

courses

ID:

509742

Duration (hours):

36

CFU:

SSD:

DISCIPLINE DELLO SPETTACOLO

Year:

2025

Date/time interval

Primo Semestre (22/09/2025 - 19/12/2025)

Course Objectives

The course aims to provide students with the critical and interpretative categories needed to understand the processes and forms of participation promoted by theatrical experiences. It will focus on the analysis of theories and models of participation and then compare them with some emblematic experiences of contemporary theatre (from the second half of the twentieth century to the present day). At the end of the course, students will therefore be required to demonstrate: a) knowledge and interpretation of the models and forms of theatrical participation b) the ability to contextualise the evolution of participatory processes from a historical, critical and methodological point of view c) the ability to analyse contemporary participatory theatrical experiences using the critical and interpretative categories addressed during the course, starting from their bibliographic and visual sources.

Course Prerequisites

Knowledge of theater history, with special consideration of the 20th and 21st centuries. Knowledge of the Italian language

Teaching Methods

In terms of teaching, the following methodologies are used: 1) Frontal lectures 2) Dedicated power points, with summaries, references to textual and iconographic sources 3) Work in sub-groups, presentations and class discussions on case studies supported by the viewing of video documents (all uploaded onto the Kiro platform), interviews and meetings with artists and scholars 4) Sharing of teaching materials on the Kiro interactive platform (the PPTs, links to the video and photographic sources analysed, essays and in-depth articles, presentations and documents drawn up by the subgroups on the case studies, in-depth bibliography, detailed examination programme, supplementary teaching materials for non-attending students will be shared).

Assessment Methods

Learning will be verified both in itinere and at the end of the course. In itinere through discussion and analysis of iconographic and bibliographic sources. At the end of the course, with an examination involving an oral interview aimed at verifying the skills and training content acquired by the student. In this perspective, the interview will focus on: 1) Contents of the course lectures 2) Interpretation of the iconographic and video materials analysed and ability to use the critical-interpretative categories adopted 3) Bibliography of the course. The examination for non-attending students will be based on the integrated syllabus agreed with the students themselves.

Texts

The reference bibliography for the course is as follows: Pedullà Carmen Il teatro partecipativo. Paradigmi ed esperienze. Focus su Roger Bernat_FFF e Rimini Protokoll,, San Miniato, Titivillus, 2021. Fiaschini, Fabrizio. "Oltre la spettatorialità. Performance e politica della partecipazione", Akustische Masken Auf Dem Theater. Text-Sprache-Performanz/Maschere Acustiche in Teatro. Testo-Lingua-Performance. Franz Steiner Verlag, 2020. 25-36. Fiaschini, Fabrizio. "Performance, processo e partecipazione. Dall'animazione teatrale al teatro sociale." Thinking the Theatre-New Theatrology and Performance Studies. Vol. 7. Dipartimento delle Arti-Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 2018. 375-389. Matarasso, Francosi. "3.1 The meaning of participation." The Handbook of Cultural Work (2024): 117. Pozzi Maura, Meneghini Anna Maria, Terri Mannarini. "Partecipazione." Psicologia di comunità: Prospettive e concetti chiave. Vol. 1. Franco Angeli, 2021. 107-121. During the course, the parts to be read and researched from the books and articles listed in the reference bibliography will be pointed out, as well as any bibliographic supplements and video and photographic sources. For non-attending students, supplementary texts will be indicated in the KIRO folder (see the ‘Other Information’ section of the Syllabus)

The introductory phase of the course will focus on an updated analysis of theories and models of social participation, with specific reference to the psycho-social and community perspective. The correlation between social and cultural participation and its foundations in the inalienable rights of humanity will then be clarified. In light of these assumptions, some emblematic experiences of contemporary theatre and performance will be analysed to observe how participatory models are applied, recognising dynamics and processes, subjects and roles, strategies and solutions, limitations and problems. In particular, experiences of participatory dramaturgy, social and applied theatre, festive systems, and performative mediation activism present in the most current European performance scene will be considered, investigating how experiences decline participatory intentions through practices and approaches that can be aesthetic, social, and/or political.

Course Language

Italian

More information

The professor receives students at her office, located in Palazzo San Tommaso, ground floor of Tower B, Piazza del Lino, 2 Pavia, by appointment only, which can be made by emailing giuliaemma.innocenti@unipv.it. If necessary, online meetings can also be arranged, again by appointment via email at giuliaemma.innocenti@unipv.it. The course provides supplementary materials for students who are unable to attend. The materials will be uploaded to the KIRO folder in the subfolder entitled ‘Supplementary Materials’. In addition to the face-to-face meeting, the course also provides for weekly online meetings with the lecturer at times agreed upon with students who are unable to attend. In order to schedule meetings, outline the examination programme and analyse supplementary materials, non-attending students are requested to contact the lecturer by e-mail at giuliaemma.innocenti@unipv.it.