"We are simply better together" : Human, artistic, and pedagogical aspects of care in a collaborative musical theater project

• This article presents an investigation of how caring can promote sustainable social development, focusing on the caring practices in the musical theater project Togetherart. Led by a culture organization (Kulturverket) in Umeå, Sweden, the project involves members of an activity center for adults with mainly intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorders and students from a musical theater artist program at an institution for adult education (folkhögskola/folk high school). Participant observation of rehearsals and performances, transcribed interviews, field notes, SMS conversations created material for analysis which generated the results presented in this article. The analysis was based on Noddings’ (1984/2013) “ethics of care”. The results show that Togetherart can be seen as promoting sustainable social development by using caring practices in relation to provide for a safe and inclusive learning environment, social inclusion and empowered individuals, equal access for all participants as well as fair and inclusive access to quality education, promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all involved. The results align with several targets in Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 10 of the United Nations. We conclude that Togetherart enabled the participants to articulate their lived conditions and experiences, a necessity for developing a sustainable social world. 

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Pedagogiskt arbete (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Pedagogical Work (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  -- Konst -- Musik (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Arts -- Music (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

ethics of care; intellectual disability; musical theatre education; narrative; phenomenology; social sustainable development

ethics of care; intellectual disability; musical theatre education; narrative; phenomenology; social sustainable development

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)