Week 11 Mind Map

  1. Theatre, songs, and visual methodologies have been used in research and activism in South Africa, with roots in the Theatre of the Oppressed.
  1. Arts-based initiatives are effective in promoting community resilience and well-being during traumatic events like the pandemic.
  1. The arts promote health by expanding social support and creating common reference points, breaking down isolation and building collective vision.
  1. The arts, including literature, music, dance, and visual arts, can be powerful tools for community organizing and building in health and related areas.
  1. The arts provide a window into repressed realities and play a crucial role in community organizing for health and social equity.

a. They can draw attention to issues, provide catharsis, unite communities, and promote health and well-being

i. Its power lies in its ability to communicate a message, elicit emotions, and serve as a vehicle for social change

a. Culture is central to people's reality and understanding the soul of a community is essential for effective community organizing.

b. The arts and literature empower individuals and communities by giving them a voice to express dreams and concerns, leading to critical reflection and action for change.

i. The international women's movement has shown the importance of culture in developing consciousness and identity, with the concept of voice being key in transforming women's lives

i. Photovoice, a method of visually capturing concerns and dreams, has been widely used to promote change.

b. Songs have been used as a political alternative and a means of expressing difficult views

c. Visual methodologies have been used to address social issues.

a. Theatre has been used as a tool of resistance in South Africa

i. Played a significant role in South African activism

i. Used during protests against apartheid legislation and for HIV prevention education.

i. Addressed the criminalization of 'undesirable' works during apartheid in South Africa

a. They serve as potent vehicles for health education, effectively raising awareness and conveying messages irrespective of literacy levels.

i. Movies, television, and soap operas have successfully sparked conversations and action on community struggles with substance abuse, violence, and diabetes.

ii. The Clothesline Project uses T-shirts to raise awareness about violence against women and has become a powerful voice against child sexual abuse and intimate partner violence.

a. Decolonization of health promotion strategies is necessary to address health inequities and empower marginalized communities.

i. The Create Hope campaign, an art-based health promotion initiative that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, fosters dialogue around hope by centering community experiences and reflecting the growing importance of decolonization in health literature.