Drama in English

This chapter begins with a critique of the English curriculum currently offered in UK schools, highlighting the whiteness and Eurocentrism of the literature being studied and responsive efforts to diversify the syllabus. It situates calls for diversification within a wider plea for change, which was ignited by the Black Lives Matter movement and has resulted in global efforts to create anti-racist and decolonised curricula. It goes on, however, to carefully consider the meaning of decolonisation, arguing how we need to first consider the myriad of ways in which coloniality impacts our classroom. Significantly, this chapter argues that decolonisation extends beyond diversification and demands a multifaceted approach. Understanding this offers a new way to conceptualise drama-in-English, seeing it as a way to challenge epistemological hierarchies, bring colonialism into classroom discussion, and create a collaborative and dialogic space. Finally, it offers two worked examples to showcase these principles in action, which teachers can adapt for their own contexts. In doing so, it offers a way to decolonise our pedagogy, not just our curriculum, understanding the latter to mean more than just swapping out the books on the shelf.