School pupils discuss bicultural identity through theatre and science

Growing up with a bicultural background presents challenges, but can also be a source of strength. The Centre for Science and Culture (CWC) developed an educational video about the DOX performance “Confrontations” with developmental psychologist Dr Sheida Novin (Faculty of Social Sciences). This enables school pupils to discuss bicultural identity and belonging with each other, and to see how science can help interpret such experiences.

Growing up with two cultures can raise questions about who you are and where you belong. This can clash with external expectations, but it can also provide resilience and perspective. Based on this tension, DOX, the CWC and developmental psychologist Dr Sheida Novin (Faculty of Social Sciences) collaborated on a short explanatory video for Confrontations, a theatre production based on the award-winning book by Simone Atangana Bekono (in co-production with Theater Utrecht). Pupils discuss the video in class, either before or after their theatre visit. This gives them tools to engage in conversation with each other, while at the same time introducing them to the way in which scientific insights are developed.

About Confrontations

This is the third collaboration between DOX and CWC, this time on Confrontations, a musical theatre piece directed by Casper Vandeputte and Savannah Wolin. Sixteen-year-old Salomé ends up in a youth detention centre after assaulting two classmates. She is furious and confused. Between her fellow inmates and a psychologist, she tries to get a grip on what happened and everything that preceded it. Thoughts of her parents, her sister and their shared history race through her mind. While the present overwhelms her, one question continues to gnaw at her: how does it feel to not really belong anywhere, or to be different?