Symbolic Interaction and Intercultural Theatre Performance Dynamics in Uganda

318 Pages·2014·4.2 MB·English

Symbolic Interaction and Intercultural Theatre Performance
Dynamics in Uganda: The Case of Makerere University‘s
Intercultural Theatre Collaborations

by

Richard Kagolobya

Dissertation presented for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy (Drama and Theatre Studies) at the Faculty of
Arts and Social Sciences
Stellenbosch University

Supervisor: Prof. Edwin Hees

December 2014
Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za

Declaration

By submitting this dissertation, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my
own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise
stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe
any third-party rights, and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for
obtaining any qualification.

Signature: Date: 10-11-2014

Copyright © 2014 Stellenbosch University
All rights reserved

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Acknowledgements

I am grateful to my supervisor Professor Edwin Hees for his patience, articulate guidance and
insightful counsel in the process of my academic rebirth and growth during my PhD studies.

I thank the Graduate School, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Stellenbosch University for
the generous PhD scholarship that made this academic journey possible.

I also thank Makerere University for the study leave, travel facilitation and research funds
which made this academic milestone achievable.

I would not have made it this far without the foundational guidance and mentorship of my
teachers at the Department of Performing Arts and Film, Makerere University. In that regard
I thank Assoc. Prof. Patrick Mangeni, Assoc. Prof. Mercy Mirembe Ntangaare, Dr Jessica
Kaahwa, Dr. Michael Muhumuza, Mr Dan Isiko Kisense, Ms Hamida Namugga and Mr
Augustine Bazaale. I also thank my colleague Mr. Mabingo Alfdaniels because whenever he
came across an article related to my study, he generously informed me about it. In the same
vein, I thank Assoc. Prof. Jill Pribyl for pointing out, and lending me some of the initial
books on interculturalism that I read before I started my PhD studies.

I also thank professors Sylvia Nannyonga Tamusuza and Justinian Tamusuza for their
support and encouragement when I was setting off for my studies. I am indebted to all
members of staff and colleagues at the department; thank you for the physical, moral and
spiritual support during the course of my studies, and for keeping our ‗garden watered‘ while
I was away.

I thank Dr. B. Rukooko, Dean, School of Liberal and Performing Arts Makerere University
for his support while I was applying for my PhD studies.

I am grateful to my MPhil supervisor, Prof. Laura Castor, Department of Culture and
Literature, Faculty of Humanities, University of Tromsø, for her unwavering support while I
was searching for PhD studentships. And to all those who taught me while I was doing my
MPhil in Indigenous Studies at University of Tromsø — thank you for introducing me to
multidisciplinary studies.

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My friends: Ssalango Wamala Kintu, Gregory Tukesiga alias Chief, and Synnøve Angell for
the support and encouragement when you learnt that I was going for my PhD studies.

I thank my parents, brothers and sisters for the moral and spiritual support during the course
of my studies.

My flat mates Ssentanda Medadi Erisa and Gibson Ncube for the warm environment you
provided for me during my stay in Stellenbosch.

I thank all project leaders, coordinators and project participants who participated in this study
– without you all, there would have been nothing to write home about.

I thank you all, and may the Good Lord reward you abundantly.
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Abstract

This dissertation investigates and examines the dynamics of intercultural theatre practice.
Existing scholarship on interculturalism in theatre praxis regards intercultural theatre as a site
for bridging cultures and cross-cultural performance traditions, and for investigating the
performance of power between the collaborating parties, learning, cultural imperialism,
cultural translation and hybridity, among other features. However, much of the existing
literature does not offer a historical perspective allowing one to understand the dynamics of
contemporary North-South collaborations. Moreover, most studies do not adequately weave
the experiences of the participants in such collaborations into their analyses. This study
contributes to filling that research gap.

This research specifically seeks to investigate and examine the dynamics of intercultural
theatre collaborations in Uganda, taking Makerere University‘s Department of Performing
Arts and Film‘s intercultural theatre activities in recent years as case studies. The inquiry was
mainly driven by the impetus to explore the North-South intercultural theatre dynamics and
to examine the socio-cultural, socio-political, socio-economic features and other notions that
were manifested in these intercultural theatre collaborations and performances.

In order to pursue the above line of inquiry I used a multiple case study design by examining
three cases: the Stanford-Makerere, New York-Makerere and the Norwegian College of
Dance-Makerere collaborations. The multi-case study model was reinforced by the use of
personal interviews, direct observation, focus group discussions, document analysis and
emails of inquiry in order to solicit the views of individuals who had participated in the above
collaborations.

Theoretically, the study is hinged on a multiplicity of concepts and discourses: symbolic
interaction, intercultural communication, theatre studies, postcolonial studies, international
education and the discourse on globalisation.

In the analysis of the different cases it was discovered that the issue of economic inequality in
the contribution towards the funding of the collaborations, among the different modes of
power performativity manifested in the collaboration processes, sometimes leads to an
imbalance in the decision-making process. Consequently, the power imbalance contributes to
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the North-South intercultural theatre collaborations‘ unending crisis of identification with
imperialism.

The study further shows that there are cultural, linguistic, pedagogical, structural and socio-
psychological aspects of difference that are negotiated during the course of the
collaborations.

It was found that the process of navigating the socio-cultural differences provides the
participants with an experiential learning environment of living with/within and appreciating
cultural differences, thus providing a bridge across the socio-cultural divide. The cultural
bridge in theatrical terms, however, leads to the generation of theatrical hybridity and fusion,
which again brings into play the debate on intercultural performance
authenticity/inauthenticity in theatre discourse.

Also, based on the view that intercultural theatre collaborations are microcosms of
multifaceted global intercultural interactions, it was seen that the socio-cultural differences
that are negotiated through the intercultural theatre collaborations can give one a
microcosmic platform for critiquing the grand concept of the ―global village‖ and the
associated notion of ―world cultural homogenisation‖.

Since this study uses a novel multidisciplinary approach in the analysis of intercultural
theatre phenomena, I believe it will contribute to critical theatre studies in Uganda and
elsewhere. The findings will also hopefully contribute towards the assessment of intercultural
theatre collaborations at Makerere University in order to improve them. The study will also
advance the view that intercultural theatre‘s aesthetic and experiential processes can help in
interpreting and understanding our respective multicultural environments. Broadly, it will
contribute to the discourse on intercultural communication, performance and cultural studies.

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Opsomming

Hierdie proefskrif ondersoek die dinamika van interkulturele teaterpraktyk. Bestaande
navorsing oor interkulturaliteit in die teaterpraktyk beskou interkulturele teater as ‘n forum
vir die oorbrugging van kultuurgrense en interkulturele opvoeringstradisies, en vir die
ondersoek na aangeleenthede soos die uitvoering van mag tussen die deelnemende partye,
leer, kulturele imperialisme, kulturele vertaling en hibriditeit. Die bestaande literatuur bied
egter grotendeels nie ‘n historiese perspektief waaruit die dinamika van kontemporêre Noord-
na-Suid-samewerkings verstaan kan word nie. Verder verweef die meeste ondersoeke nie die
ervarings van die deelnemers aan sulke samewerkings bevredigend in hul analises nie.
Hierdie ondersoek dra by tot die vul van daardie navorsingsgaping.

Hierdie navorsing poog spesifiek om die dinamika van interkulturele teatersamewerkings in
Uganda te ondersoek deur van onlangse interkulturele teateraktiwiteite aan die Departement
Uitvoerende Kuns en Film aan die Makerere Universiteit gebruik te maak as gevallestudies.
Die beweegrede vir die ondersoek is hoofsaaklik die verkenning van die dinamika van
interkulturele Noord-na-Suid-teatersamewerking en ‘n ondersoek na die sosio-kulturele,
sosio-politiese en sosio-ekonomiese kenmerke en ander opvattinge wat in hierdie
interkulturele teatersamewerkings en -opvoerings gemanifesteer het.

Om hierdie ondersoek te onderneem, het ek drie gevalle in ‘n meervoudigegevallestudie-
ontwerp bestudeer: die samewerkings tussen onderskeidelik Stanford en Makerere, New
York en Makerere, en die Norwegian College of Dance en Makerere. Die
meervoudigegevalle-ontwerp is versterk deur die gebruik van persoonlike onderhoude,
direkte waarneming, fokusgroepgesprekke, dokumentanalise en e-posnavrae in ‘n poging om
die opvattings van individue wat aan die bogenoemde samewerkings deelgeneem het, te
verkry.

Teoreties is die studie gefundeer in ‘n veelvoud konsepte en diskoerse: simboliese interaksie,
interkulturele kommunikasie, teaterstudies, postkoloniale studies, internasionale
opvoedkunde en die diskoers oor globalisering.

In die analise van die verskillende gevalle is bevind dat die kwessie van ekonomiese
ongelykheid in bydraes tot die befondsing van samewerkings, onder die verskillende modusse
van magsperformatiwiteit wat in die samewerkingsprosesse gemanifesteer het, soms ‘n
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wanbalans in die besluitnemingsproses tot gevolg het. Gevolglik dra hierdie magswanbalans
by tot die nimmereindigende krisis van identifikasie met imperialisme waaronder
interkulturele Noord-na-Suid-teatersamewerkings gebuk gaan.

Die ondersoek toon verder dat daar kulturele, linguistiese, pedagogiese, strukturele en sosio-
psigologiese verskille is wat oorkom moet word vir suksesvolle samewerkings om plaas te
vind.

Daar is bevind dat die hantering van sosio-kulturele verskille die deelnemers van ‘n
eksperimentele leeromgewing voorsien vir die belewing en waardering van kultuurverskille,
waardeur die sosio-kulturele skeiding oorbrug word. Die kulturele brug lei egter, in
toneelmatige terme, na die ontwikkeling van toneelmatige hibriditeit en versmelting, wat
weer die debat oor die outentisiteit al dan nie van interkulturele opvoerings in die
teaterdiskoers aktiveer.

Verder is daar, gebaseer op die siening dat interkulturele teatersamewerkings mikrokosmosse
van veelvlakkige globale interkulturele interaksie is, bevind dat die sosio-kulturele verskille
wat deur interkulturele teatersamewerkings oorkom word, ‘n mikrokosmiese platform kan
voorsien vir die kritisering van die begrip van die sogenaamde ―wêrelddorpie‖ en verwante
nosies van wêreldwye kulturele homogenisering.

Aangesien hierdie ondersoek ‘n nuwe multidissiplinêre benadering tot die analise van
interkulturele teaterverskynsels gebruik, glo ek dit sal bydra tot die teaterkritiek in Uganda en
elders. Die bevindinge sal hopelik bydra tot die assessering van interkulturele
teatersamewerkings aan Makerere Universiteit om hulle te verbeter. Die ondersoek sal ook
die siening voortdra dat interkulturele teater se estetiese en ervaringsprosesse kan help met
die interpretasie en verstaan van ons onderskeie multikulturele omgewings. Breedweg sal dit
bydra tot die diskoers oor interkulturele kommunikasie, opvoering en kultuurstudie.
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Table of Contents

Declaration .................................................................................................................................. i
Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... ii
Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... iv
Opsomming ............................................................................................................................... vi
Table of Contents ................................................................................................................... viii
Chapter One: General introduction ....................................................................................... 1
1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Developing the idea for the thesis and motivation ........................................................... 1
1.3 Deriving the research topic from preliminary reading ..................................................... 2
1.4 General research design and methodology ...................................................................... 3
1.5 Problem statement, research hypotheses and objectives .................................................. 4
1.6 Specific objectives of the study ....................................................................................... 5
1.7 Contextualising intercultural theatre in Uganda‘s socio-political history ....................... 5
1.7.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 5
1.7.2 Contesting African theatre before colonisation ......................................................... 6
1.7.3 Precolonial theatre in Uganda ................................................................................... 9
1.7.4 Uganda‘s socio-political milieu during the colonial period .................................... 13
1.7.5 Uganda‘s theatre landscape during the colonial era ................................................ 16
1.7.6 The Makerere Department of Performing Arts and Film in Uganda‘s history ....... 21
1.8 Outline of the remainder of the thesis ............................................................................ 23
1.9 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 24
Chapter Two: Literature review/theoretical framework ................................................... 25
2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 25
2.2 Definition of key concepts ............................................................................................. 25
2.2.1 Dynamics................................................................................................................. 25
2.2.2 Intercultural theatre ................................................................................................. 25
2.2.3 Symbolic interaction ............................................................................................... 26
2.3 Literature survey ............................................................................................................ 26
2.3.1 Reflections on symbolic interaction ........................................................................ 26
2.3.2 Contextualising culture as symbolic interaction ..................................................... 28
2.3.3 Intercultural communication ................................................................................... 30
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2.3.3.1 The philosophy and meaning of intercultural communication ........................ 30
2.3.3.2. Historical contextualisation of the need for intercultural communication ...... 31
2.3.3.3 The development of intercultural communication in the USA ........................ 33
2.3.3.4 The discourse of power in intercultural communication ................................. 36
2.3.3.5. Mechanisms for mitigating misunderstanding in intercultural communication
...................................................................................................................................... 38
2.3.3.6. Charting intercultural communication analysis .............................................. 40
2.4 Interculturalism in theatre .............................................................................................. 41
2.4.1 The meaning and characteristics of intercultural theatre/cross-cultural theatre ...... 41
2.4.2 Historical perspective on the introduction and usage of the term ―intercultural
theatre‖ ............................................................................................................................. 44
2.4.3 Intercultural theatre and postcolonialism ................................................................ 52
2.4.3.1 Intercultural theatre‘s crisis of identity with colonialism and imperialism ..... 56
2.4.3.2 Other socio-cultural and socio-political reactions in the postcolonial era ....... 60
2.5 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 64
Chapter Three: Understanding interculturalism in the era of globalisation ................... 65
3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 65
3.2 Globalisation: a brief historical perspective .................................................................. 65
3.2.1 Origins of the terms ‗globalise‘, the ‗global village‘ and ‗globalisation‘ ............... 66
3.2.2 The meanings of the term ‗globalisation‘ ............................................................... 68
3.3 Understanding cultural globalisation ......................................................................... 70
3.3.1 Understanding cultural imperialism in the era of globalisation .............................. 73
3.4 Challenges to the notion of world cultural homogenisation .......................................... 77
3.4.1 Different world feelings, personalities and identities ......................................... 78
3.4.2 Differences in the conceptualisation of global reality ........................................ 80
3.4.3 The concept of time and space in cultural and global studies............................. 83
3.4.4 Institutional philosophical differences ................................................................ 84
3.4.5 ―Othering‖ through preconceived stereotypes .................................................... 85
3.5 Intercultural education in the global arena ..................................................................... 86
3.5.1 Contextualising education and interculturalism in the globalising world ............... 86
3.5.2 The meanings and implications of global education ............................................... 87
3.5.3 Advantages of intercultural collaborations ............................................................. 92
3.5.4 Challenges of intercultural education ...................................................................... 93
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