Using Theatre to Counter Youth Radicalisation | Shelley Piasecka | TEDxUoChester

A belief in theatre and drama to be an instrument for social change is central to the work of British theatre in education practitioners. Theatre in Education (TIE) emerged in the 1960s and over the course of the twentieth and twenty-first century became an established theatrical tradition and its history is well documented. While there have been changes to the nature, content and scope of TIE in subsequent years there remains an ongoing commitment to TIE as an educational tool. This said, the terror attacks of recent years coupled with a heightened security awareness have prompted a new kind of theatre in education, which is very different to the curriculum-focused TIE of its predecessors. The reason is the introduction of the Prevent Duty under section 26 of the Counter Terrorism and Securities Act 2015. In the years following its implementation, Prevent has been the subject of widespread debate amongst politicians, religious leader, educators and community groups. Notwithstanding these concerns, I show with a new study that theatre in education may offer more helpful ways of dealing with youth radicalisation and may go someway to facilitate open discussion with young people in schools on the subject of terrorism. Dr Shelley Piasecka is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Chester in the Performing Arts Department and Senior Postgraduate Research Tutor for the School of Arts and Media. Her PhD with Manchester Metropolitan University examined the role of drama and creativity in the primary school curriculum. Shelley supports her teaching and research as a theatre director and writer and is co-founder of Piasecki & Piasecka Theatre Company, which she runs with her husband, and together they have shown their work to UK and international audiences. Her stage adaptation of Moby Dick was specially selected for a public event at the British Library discussing the life and work of Herman Melville. Shelley’s current academic research examines the role of drama and theatre in countering youth radicalisation in schools. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx