Drama Didactics

"Our future depends on the state of our imaginations, and drama becomes more important as the world changes. Plays young people write, act in and watch are the blueprints of the world they will have to live in.” (David Davis, 2014)

When the democratic society develops towards a future that is characterized by climate threats and new information- and biotechnology, it is sometimes argued that it is "the four C": "critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity" that is needed, not only in an educational context but in society as a whole.

Drama didactics poses questions about leadership and the creation of social spaces and group processes aimed at critical thinking, as well as communicative and creative citizens. Focus in drama is social interaction, the human imagination and the ability to act. This is processed through going in and out of different roles, stepping into someone else's life and through creating characters and common stories. Since drama is not yet a subject in primary school, drama didactics has a wide approach to didactic questions. Drama didactics addresses the whole education system, from pre-school to college, and includes learning in voluntary activities such as the cultural school.

Drama didactics has its roots in the reform pedagogy and a critical education tradition that offers alternatives to conventional perspectives on teaching. Knowledge in drama includes tacit and practical knowledge that processed through embodied and imaginary work. Emotions also play a major role in producing new knowledge in drama. The  teaching process can be described as explorative (iterative?), where the goal of teaching can be co-created with the participants. In other words, the knowledge objectives are not always formulated in advance, which means that the didactic considerations that an educator can face may differ slightly from a more curriculum-based education.

The research field relates to other sciences such as philosophy, sociology of pedagogy and theatrical science as well as developmental- and neuro-psychology, but focuses on didactic issues. Drama didactic research uses methods from the humanities, social and educational sciences but also artistic research methods such as art-based research.

Researchers and Lecturers in Drama Didactics

Andersson, Ylva
Lecturer, 08-16 4137
ylva.andersson@hsd.su.se

PhD Cedervall, Sofia
Lecturer, 08-16 4678
sofia.cedervall@hsd.su.se

Fries, Julia
PhD-student, 08-16 4683
julia.fries@hsd.su.se

PhD Hallgren, Eva
Senior lecturer, 08-1207 6526
eva.hallgren@hsd.su.se

Johansson, Anna
PhD-student, 08-1207 6662
anna.johansson@hsd.su.se

PhD von Schantz, Ulrika
Senior lecturer, 08-1207 6561
ulrika.vonschantz@hsd.su.se

Sundebrant, Peter
Lecturer, 08-1207 6819
peter.sundebrant@hsd.su.se

Szatek, Elsa
PhD-student, 08-1207 6662
elsa.szatek@hsd.su.se

PhD Österlind, Eva
Professor, 08-1207 6538
eva.osterlind@hsd.su.se