Critical Pedagogy in Practice

This article explores the adaptation and development of Augusto Boal’s forum theatre within the framework of Norwegian religious education (RE) during the 2020s. It examines how this interactive theatrical form, originally conceived under the military dictatorship of 1970s Brazil, may be used to address controversial issues in a secondary school in the Norwegian democratic welfare state. Forum theatre draws on Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy and is used to scrutinise and challenge power asymmetries, advocate for societal change and promote empowering practices for both teachers and students. The analysis suggests that forum theatre, as a drama-based pedagogical approach, has significant potential to navigate and mitigate the challenges associated with discussions of controversial issues in the school context. Nonetheless, its application in democratic welfare states, where the distinctions between oppressor and oppressed are less clear, introduces complexities. This necessitates careful and conscious pedagogical reflection and action to avoid unintentionally disempowering already marginalised or oppressed students.