Applied Dramaturgy as an Instrument of Public Governance: Values, Understanding, and Scenarios

Abstract. Introduction. The article examines applied dramaturgy as an interdisciplinary tool for the analysis and design of governance decision-making in the context of increasing social complexity. It is demonstrated that text-centered practices dominant in public governance are methodologically insufficient for addressing processes of becoming, uncertainty, and value conflicts that characterize contemporary governance systems.Methodology. The study is conceptual and theoretical-methodological in nature and is based on theoretical synthesis and interdisciplinary analysis. The literature review is constructed primarily according to a conceptual logic rather than empirical comparison, which reflects the positioning of the article as a theoretical and methodological contribution rather than an empirical study.Main Content. The theoretical framework of the study is grounded in C. Graves’ value meme model and the concept of the spiral movement of understanding. The role of image-centered and scenario-based forms of thinking is substantiated as a key condition for the holistic comprehension of governance situations. Applied dramaturgy is interpreted as a model of change that enables the analysis of transitions from situation to event and further to the transformation of governed processes, as well as a means of shifting from the management of descriptions to the management of processes and meanings.Results and Discussion. It is shown that the dominance of text-centered governance models is structurally associated with specific value regimes and leads to typical governance limitations, including normative overload, process fragmentation, and the illusion of control. In the discussion, the results are correlated with contemporary research in narrative policy, scenario thinking, strategic foresight, and design thinking in public governance, which makes it possible to identify methodological intersections and avenues for extending the dramaturgical approach.Conclusions. The study concludes that applied dramaturgy can be regarded as an independent methodological instrument of public governance, oriented toward working with the dynamics of change, values, and scenarios of possible futures. It is substantiated that the rejection of image-centered and scenario-based forms of thinking under conditions of increasing complexity generates systemic governance vulnerability, whereas the integration of applied dramaturgy expands the capacity for meaningful and reflective governance decision-making.