Artistic and educational mediation: forum theatre with inclusive and gender diversity themes against bullying

Abstract

This study has worked on artistic and educational mediation with secondary-school students to prevent bullying and generate greater acceptance and inclusiveness in schools.  For this purpose, the starting point was the play Malnacido, which deals with the true story of Romasanta, who was persecuted and harassed because of being intersex and became a serial killer. Using a methodology based on Forum Theatre as a participatory research tool, and through ethnographic resources, the aim is to make the students aware of their individual and collective responsibility, recognising those behaviours in the processes of marginalisation and exclusion that worsen the situation of the victims, as well as to show them defence mechanisms. At the end of the research, it was found that the Forum Theatre fosters greater group cohesion among those who participate and facilitates detecting and acting before cases of harassment, which is why it is considered fundamental to promote a critical attitude and democratic values. It also contributes to influence some of the key competences related to the development of language, autonomy, culture and knowledge.