Workshop:
From Polarization to Participation Facilitating Dialogue in Diverse Communities and Classrooms
This workshop introduces a set of participatory, experiential tools for working with social tensions in diverse community environments or classrooms. The methods are inspired by Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed, but no theatre background is required. The emphasis is not on performance, but on reflection, communication, and collaborative problem-solving.
Participants will learn how to recognize and navigate situations in which multiple cultural, linguistic, or national identities coexist in the same (learning) environment. Rather than assuming “two sides,” the workshop acknowledges that social settings often include three or more identity groups. These complex dynamics become especially visible during times of conflict, but are also part of everyday life in contemporary German society and any society.
Through structured playful activities – Game, Play, Acting – guided dialogue, and reflection, participants will explore:
- How social tensions manifest in community, societal and educational settings
- How to use embodied and creative tools to create safe, inclusive spaces
- How to support dialogue across different backgrounds, beliefs, and narratives
- How to move from polarization to participation and cooperative action
The aim is to strengthen social cohesion, empathy, and the ability to hold multiple perspectives – skills that are essential for living and working in plural societies.
Apply below until April 17 to participate in the workshop. You will be notified by email by early May whether you are eligible to participate.
