Pathways theatre: Using speculative and collaborative improvisation for transformative engagement

To give more weight to plural understanding of the future, which is often accompanied with varying degrees of disagreement or conflict, new forms of public engagement is key. Among various deliberative methods, art-based and embodied practices are particularly important in connecting mind and body of participants and their disparate ways of knowing and meaning making. They can be used to facilitate dialogue and create spaces in which people with different perspectives and experiences can engage in transformative practices. This paper draws on the experience from a sustainability challenge in the central Iran, introduces a collaborative scenario-making approach called Pathways Theatre. It discusses how using speculative improvisations and embodied experimentation, that is embedded in this approach, can open up new spaces for dialogue and transformative engagement. The research suggests Pathway Theatre can be a useful tool to support researchers and communities in bringing about real dialogue that is needed around controversial topics that may polarize community interests and divide people. This includes conversations on emerging debates around climate change, artificial intelligence (AI), and biotechnology. The findings from the case study revealed that the theatre represents an opportunity for transformative change at various levels: personal, network (relationships); and institutional.