Educating in prison through theater and literature: Examples from Italy and the United States

Abstract

This paper discusses how Devised Theater projects have brought new educational programs to prisoners and detainees (men and women) in both the U.S. and Italy in recent decades. This overview of these experiences led by the Universities of Oklahoma, Connecticut, and Massachusetts and by Regions in Italy (Marche and Tuscany) offers opportunities to reflect on the concept of the "Pedagogy of reciprocity" (Bruner) and theater as a site of learning in the Prison system.

Keywords

• educational practices
• workshops
• devised theater
• prison system
• pedagogy of reciprocity