Performing PREVENT: anti-extremist theatre-in-education in the service of UK counter-terrorism, a Freirean analysis

ABSTRACT

This article reveals a new trend in UK counter-terrorism: the emergence of anti-extremist Theatre-in-Education (TIE) to deliver counter-terrorism projects in schools and colleges. Using Paulo Freire’s vision of critical and dialogic pedagogy, I offer an analysis of anti-extremist TIE against a backdrop of PREVENT, the UK counter-terrorism strategy. The September 11 attack, the London Transport bombings and the more recent attacks in Europe and the UK have contributed to a strengthening of counter-terrorism measures in all spheres of public life. In 2015, the UK government introduced a statutory duty for education providers to prevent young people from being drawn into terrorism. This is known as the PREVENT Duty. The implementation of the duty has not been without controversy, with commentators noting a disproportionate focus on Islamist forms of terrorism. My study has shown that the guiding principle of TIE to enact social change is threatened in this climate, whilst maintaining the possibility of engaging young people in meaningful dialogue about terrorism and violent extremism.

KEYWORDS:

• PREVENT
• violent extremism
• counter-terrorism
• theatre-in-education
• Freire

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. Cited from a Home Office letter to Reveal Theatre (Home Office 2017): http://revealtheatre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/04/Best-Practice-Deliverer-confirmaion-from-OCST-Home-Offiice.pdf [accessed 03/03/19].

2. I interviewed 2engage Performing Arts at separate periods over the course of 2017 to 2018.

3. It should be noted that the theatre companies cited in the article offer a range of TIE workshops, covering curriculum matters, PSHE and career development as well as their anti-extremist work.

4. In the absence of a script, I refer to a promotional video produced by The Play House. Due to the liveness of the theatrical event, there may be slight differences between the online material and the performances I observed.

5. The British National Party subsequently lost all seats in the 2011 Local Council Elections.

6. It would overly simplistic to suggest that Muslims learners in the room responded to the exercise in equal measure. In every learning environment, there are some learners who dominate the room and some who say very little and, in this exercise, some learners were more vocal than others.

7. Jim is a pseudonym.

8. The woman referred to in the Blue Burqa is Colonel Lieutenant Malalai Kakar. The original photograph was taken by the Canadian journalist Lana Slezic.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Shelley Piasecka

Dr Shelley Piasecka is an associate professor in the Performing Arts Department at the University of Chester and a senior postgraduate research tutor for the School of Arts and Media. Her PhD with Manchester Metropolitan investigated the benefits of drama and creative education in the primary school curriculum. Shelley supports her teaching and research as a theatre director and writer and her performance work has been shown to UK and international audiences. Shelley’s current academic research examines anti-extremist Theatre-in-Education.