Journal Article
| “Breaking In”: The Politics behind Participation in Theater Author: Fox, Valerie & Dickie, Virginia Published: 2009, August Volume: 17 Issue no: 3 Page number(s): 158-167 |
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| Most occupational science research has focused on the effect of occupational engagement on the
individual, leaving many group and community level processes unaddressed. The purpose of this
ethnographic study is to explore the process of participation and to identify the factors that inhibit or
support participation and community formation in theater groups. Through observation and open-
ended interviews with group members of a campus theater group, six themes were identif ied that
i nf luenced t he par ti ci pator y process: organizati onal and group hi erarchy, group dynami cs,
competition, power struggles, director as gatekeeper, and addictive power of participation. The six
components acted as barriers to entering or leaving the theater group. These themes were grouped
under the overarching metaphor of politics, a term introduced by one of the participants. The results
have implications for understanding other group-based occupations and may help to explain how
people become participants in desired occupational communities and how such communities develop.
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Article: Fox_17_3.pdf  | |
