O teatro do oprimido como ferramenta de educação popular em saúde : um reflexão crítica.

Abstract

Health Education (HE), historically based on biomedical and sanitarian model, has proven ineffective in promoting behavioral changes. This limitation has driven the need for Popular Education in Health (PEH), which prioritizes participatory methods, recognizing popular knowledge and the individual's leading role in health care. In this scenario, the Theater of the Oppressed (TO), developed by Augusto Boal and inspired by Paulo Freire, emerges as a powerful pedagogical and political tool. TO offers a transformative artistic practice that, starting from lived reality, stimulates critical thinking, social awareness, and collective action. In the health context, it allows communities to express their experiences, identify oppressions, and collectively build coping alternatives. This study discusses the effectiveness of Theater of the Oppressed as a transformative tool in Popular Education in Health, aiming to demonstrate its capacity to meet social demands and consolidate Popular Education in Health among the population. This is a reflective study that aims to contribute to the discussion on the Theatre of the Oppressed as a tool in Popular Education in Healthy. The Theatre of the Oppressed, developed by Augusto Boal and inspired by Paulo Freire, emerged in the 1960s as a powerful pedagogical and political tool aligned with participatory methods. It recognizes popular knowledge and the individual's protagonism in health care, as advocated by Popular Education in Healthy. In this context, it enables communities to express their experiences, identify forms of oppression, and collectively construct strategies for overcoming them. It is worth highlighting that, through its various techniques—namely Forum Theatre, Image Theatre, Invisible Theatre, Newspaper Theatre, Rainbow of Desire, and Legislative Theatre—it seeks to transform the spectator into a “spect-actor,” encouraging critical reflection and the exploration of solutions to everyday conflicts. Thus, it can contribute to raising awareness and fostering social change in the field of health. The convergence between the Theatre of the Oppressed and Popular Health Education not only enhances educational processes but also promotes the real transformation of individuals, empowering them to recognize and confront oppressive situations. For its effective implementation, it is crucial that educators deeply understand its principles, ensuring that the methodology serves as a tool for emancipation and dialogue. It is concluded that the Theatre of the Oppressed, when properly applied, is an effective tool for promoting awareness and social change in the health sector.