Theatre of the Oppressed - Empowering Social Change Through Participatory Drama #3456067 (License: Personal Use)

This linocut-style image visually embodies Augusto Boal’s concept of “Theatre of the Oppressed,” where oppressed individuals become “spect-actors” to confront and dismantle power structures. The towering figure represents institutional authority, crushing a symbolic fist-emblematic of collective resistance-while smaller figures push back, illustrating active engagement rather than passive suffering. The rough, expressive lines evoke urgency and grassroots struggle.

Commonly used in educational, activist, and arts-based advocacy contexts-such as university syllabi, NGO workshops, or social justice campaigns-to introduce participatory theater methods that empower communities to rehearse revolution and imagine alternatives to oppression.