Improv for democracy : how to bridge differences and develop the communication and leadership skills our world needs / Don Waisanen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Waisanen, Don, author.

Series:

SUNY series in new political science.

SUNY series in new political science

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Citizenship--Study and teaching.

Citizenship.

Democracy--Study and teaching.

Democracy.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (282 pages).

Place of Publication:

Albany : State University of New York Press, [2020]

Summary:

"While much has been written about what democracies should look like, much less has been said about how to actually train citizens in democratic perspectives and skills. Amid the social and political crises of our time, many programs seeking to bridge differences between citizens now draw from a surprising field: improvisational theater. Improv is now used around the world to train people to engage with one another in ways that promote empathy and understanding. Author Don Waisanen demonstrates how improv-based teaching and training methods-which originated in improv theater but have since been adapted and evolved in many other contexts-can forward the communication, leadership, and civic skills our world urgently needs. Included are specific exercises and thought experiments that can be used by educators of all kinds, advocates for civic engagement and civil discourse, practitioners and scholars in communication, leadership, and conflict management, training and development specialists, administrators looking to build new curricula or programming, and professionals seeking to embed productive, sustainable, and socially responsible forms of interaction in and across organizations. This book ultimately offers a new approach for helping people become more creative, heighten awareness, think faster, build confidence, operate flexibly, improve expression and governance skills, and above all, think and act more democratically"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Front Matter

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

A New Curriculum for Training Engaged, Innovative, and Flexible Citizens

How to Prepare for and Practice Improv for Democracy

Using Improv to Develop Communication Excellence

Using Improv to Develop Leadership Excellence

Using Improv to Develop Civic Excellence

Conclusion

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781438481173

1438481179