International Summer Academy, 14-18 June, 2017

THE FOREIGNER AND THE EXCLUDED SHADOW – “Unknown” Roles and the Role of the Foreigner in Dramatherapy

International Summer Academy 2017
June 14 – 18

Every year, the German Association of Dramatherapy (DGfT), in cooperation with the Institut für Theatertherapie (ITT), holds an international symposium on theatre and therapy at the ‘Akademie der Kulturellen Bildung’ in Remscheid (20 km from Wuppertal, approx. 40 km from Cologne or Dusseldorf).

In the light of recent events, this year’s topic is

THE FOREIGNER AND THE EXCLUDED SHADOW
“Unknown” Roles and the Role of the Foreigner in Dramatherapy

“Exile is strangely compelling to think about but terrible to experience. It is the unhealable rift forced between a human being and a native place, between the self and its true home: its essential sadness can never be surmounted. And while it is true that literature and history contain heroic, romantic, glorious, even triumphant episodes in an exile’s life, these are no more than efforts meant to overcome the crippling sorrow of estrangement.”
(Edward W. Said, Reflections on Exile and Other Essays)

Never before were there as many fleeing persons in our world as today (UNHCR names currently 65,3 million Forcibly Displaced People, many experts estimate the real numbers higher). Therefore, this year‘s International Summer Academy of the German Association of Dramatherapy puts the focus on work with refugees, not only to the theme of ‚Role‘ (which would be corresponding to the traditional topic rotation):
How can dramatherapy react to the current challenges? Which particular resources can it offer, and how can it contribute to more humanity in contact with refugees? The symposium on Saturday and the workshops on Sunday are dedicated to that subject.