


How Participating in Folk Puppet Theater can Withhold School Violence Behavior in Early Adolescence?

Author(s): Phattar Burarak

School violence is a problem that affects physical and mental health and the quality of learning among early adolescence around the world. The situation in Thailand is no different. In this research, puppetry as an artistic and cultural activity was used to intervene in the expression of violent behaviors among junior high school students in a boarding school context. The objectives are to study how the process of participatory puppetry can raise awareness and suppress school violence, how target children define and respond to school violence in the real world, and how it is presented in the theatrical setting. The results showed that participation in puppet show activity offers a safe space to talk about school issues. Taking parts in a participatory puppet show activity, the target group became aware of their inner feelings while empathizing others’ either as perpetrators or as victims of violence. It has also been found that the use of participatory puppetry has the potential to raise awareness and inhibit violent behaviors in schools.

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