The responsible citizen: An investigation of the Theatre of the Oppressed

This article investigates the competencies promoted by the Theatre of the Oppressed, and examines how they may stimulate the empowerment of minority groups in Slovenia. The text is based on staged research interviews with participants of different ethnic and social backgrounds in a workshop in Koper, Slovenia. Analysis of the interviews show that participants experienced increased consciousness of themselves as oppressors and oppressed at an individual level, as well as an understanding that belonging in a group gives one the courage and security to raise one’s voice and that increased competence in diversity can be achieved at a societal level by using Theatre of the Oppressed. These abilities are then connected to the cognitive, affective and social competencies needed to develop democratic citizens.