ADVANCING YOUNG PEOPLE?S METHODOLOGIES: ARTICULATING CITIZENSHIP DISCOURSES WITHIN ?SAFE SPACES? THROUGH THEATRE

GEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH WITH YOUNG PEOPLE HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE OF THE SUB-DISCIPLINES IN TERMS OF METHODOLOGICAL EXPERIMENTATION. THESE INNOVATIONS ARE DESIGNED TO CHALLENGE THE INEVITABLE POWER RELATIONS THAT EXIST BETWEEN ADULT RESEARCHERS AND YOUNG PEOPLE AS RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS. THIS THESIS AIMS TO PUSH THESE DEVELOPMENTS FURTHER BY EXPLORING THE USE OF THEATRE AS A MEDIUM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO ARTICULATE THEIR CITIZENSHIP POLITICS THROUGH PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH WITHIN SOCIAL AND CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY. IT HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF USING CREATIVE METHODS TO UNDERSTAND YOUNG PEOPLE?S CITIZENRY POLITICS IN SINGAPORE. THESE METHODS CREATE A ?SAFE SPACE? OUTSIDE OF FORMAL INSTITUTIONS FOR THEM TO ARTICULATE THEIR VIEWS AND BYPASS ISSUES OF SELF-CENSORSHIP IN A PUNITIVE POLITICAL CLIMATE. THIS WAS EXECUTED THROUGH A THEATRE WORKSHOP WITH A SMALL GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE (AGES 14-19 YEARS OLD) THAT COMPRISED IMPROVISED GAMES, SCRIPT WRITING AND ACTING/DIRECTOR ACTIVITIES.

Author dc:creator

• WONG YINGQI CLAUDIA

• theatre, geography, citizenship, young people, methodology