Conflict is an increasing feature of modern life, and very often it has disastrous and destructive outcomes. This volume examines the contribution that can be made by arts approaches, both to our understanding of conflict and to its constructive resolution. The contributors describe ways in which the arts can be used to understand the process of conflict and develop new ways of resolving it with less destructive results. Each art form has something unique to contribute about this area, the introduction summarises the variety of contributions from the visual arts, drama, music, stories, puppetry, masks and the links between them.
Introduction; Part 1 Drama: Raising self esteem in situations of conflict, Michael Dalton, Pop-Up Theatre; Conflict, knowledge and transformation: three drama techniques, Francis Gobey; Playing with the fire: the creative use of conflict, Nic Fina and Fiona Macbeth, LEAP Confronting conflict, London; Stage fights: violence, anger and drama, James Thompson, Theatre in prisons and probation centre, Manchester; The violent illusion, John Bergman, Saul Hewish and Simon Ruding, Geese Theatre Company, Birmigham, UK and East Swanzey, NH, USA. Part 2 Visual arts: Conflict at school: the use of art therapy to support children who are being bullied, Carol Ross, Islington Learning Support Service; Giving it form: exploring conflict through art, Marian Liebmann; Conflict resolution through art with homeless people, Dorothy Cameron. Part 3 Music: Getting our acts together: conflict resolution through music, June Boyce Tillman, King Alfred's College of Higher Education, Winchester; Discord and harmony: issues of conflict in music therapy, Alison Levinge, music therapist, Bristol. Part 4 Movement: Torture - the body in conflict: the role of movement psychotherapy, Karen Callaghan. Part 5 Combined arts: Puppets and classroom conflict, Val Major, Bristol Mediation Schools project coordinator; Heartstone story circles, David Rose, Roehampton Institute, London; Arts approaches to the conflict in Northern Ireland, Dave Duggan, Derry, Northern Ireland; Open closing door: conflicting opinions: working with victims and offenders, Chris Squire, Impossible Theatre, Holmfirth, Yorkshire.
This is page turning stuff and the book as a whole is more than a dry account of rehabilitation techniques. The descriptions of the drama workshops are in themselves dramatic. The illustrations are stark and compelling.
