The Theater of Ethnography: The Reconstruction of Ethnography Into Theater With Emancipatory Potential

Abstract

This article discusses the reflexive and educational use of theater constructed from verbatim ethnographic account work undertaken in health settings. In particular, the potential of the ethnodrama process to provide emancipatory opportunities and insights for both health informants and health professionals is described in relation to two ethnographic performance projects involving persons with schizophrenia and persons who are alcohol dependent.

Nurturing Cultural Change in Care for Older People: Seeing the Cherry Tree Blossom

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After the crash: Research-based theater for knowledge transfer

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Drama, Media Advertising, and Inner-city Youth

“…Examples of alternative forms of representation include various dramatic styles (Denzin, 1997;Donmoyer & Yennie-Donmoyer, 1995;Mienczakowski, 1995;Norris, 1997;Noms, 2000;Saldaiia, 1999) including the ethnographic performance text or "ethnodrama." Ethnodrama, according to Saldaiia, is a researcher's report in which "significant selections from interview transcripts, field notes, and or researcher journal entries or memoranda, are carefully arranged, scripted, and dramatized for an audience to enhance their understanding of the participants' lives through aural and visual enactment7' (p. 60).…”