Exploring Environmental Justice in Higher Education Through Applied Theatre: An Interpretative Phenomenological Approach

This study explores the role of Applied Theatre as a form of cultural mediation in addressing issues of environmental justice within higher education. Eight university professors participated in the study, providing qualitative data through semi-structured interviews that focused on their perceptions of environmental inequalities, their teaching practices, and the potential of theatrical approaches to foster critical engagement with sustainability issues, drawing on their prior use of drama-based methods in university teaching. Using a directed content analysis framework, the study highlights that environmental inequalities are not only material or ecological but are closely intertwined with social relations, access to resources, and collective experiences. The findings indicate that Applied Theatre can create an intermediate learning space where knowledge, emotion, and action intersect, enabling students to engage critically and experientially with social and environmental injustices. Essential conditions for successful integration include targeted professional development of faculty, institutional support, and interdisciplinary collaborations, while challenges such as limited resources, time constraints, and lack of curricular recognition remain significant. The study contributes to the development of a theoretical framework that positions Applied Theatre as cultural mediation in higher education, framing it not only as an artistic methodology but also as a social and educational practice. This framework provides directions for future research and policy, particularly in the design of sustainable teaching practices that connect higher education with social justice and ecological responsibility.