SCHOOL OF DISOBEDIENCE
context
It's 2021; instead of attaining equality, women represent the majority of people living in poverty. They are less likely to have access to healthcare and education, most affected by climate change and food insecurity, and most likely to experience gender-based violence.
For women and girls around the world - particularly those from underrepresented communities and those living in countries affected by conflict - the interconnected forces of economic injustice and environmental degradation mean job insecurity, an increase in unpaid care work, growing poverty, worsening health, lack of access to livelihoods and education, and heightened risk of violence.
Women are disproportionately affected by destructive economic and environmental practices and policies, yet government responses to socioeconomic crises do not take gender into consideration - leaving women and girls without adequate resources.
These governmental failures are unsurprising given that women are vastly underrepresented in decision-making processes that directly impact their lives: worldwide, just 24% of all national parliamentarians are women.
This must change!
The "School of Disobedience" encourages women to raise their voice, echo freely the broader socio-political context, challenge hegemonic class, gender, normative behaviors, and dominant ideologies, develop their capacities to resist, protest, revolt, fight against oppression: achieve small but sustainable changes.
For women and girls around the world - particularly those from underrepresented communities and those living in countries affected by conflict - the interconnected forces of economic injustice and environmental degradation mean job insecurity, an increase in unpaid care work, growing poverty, worsening health, lack of access to livelihoods and education, and heightened risk of violence.
Women are disproportionately affected by destructive economic and environmental practices and policies, yet government responses to socioeconomic crises do not take gender into consideration - leaving women and girls without adequate resources.
These governmental failures are unsurprising given that women are vastly underrepresented in decision-making processes that directly impact their lives: worldwide, just 24% of all national parliamentarians are women.
This must change!
The "School of Disobedience" encourages women to raise their voice, echo freely the broader socio-political context, challenge hegemonic class, gender, normative behaviors, and dominant ideologies, develop their capacities to resist, protest, revolt, fight against oppression: achieve small but sustainable changes.
values
For a school of tomorrow, we want to create an environment that is above all joyful and positive, where students are accepted, respected, challenged, where beyond constructive criticism they receive encouragement. Where students are neither put in boxes, nor judged. Where students can express themselves openly and simply. Where they are taught autonomy and independence without being abandoned, where they are accompanied and supported in their projects and in their dreams. Where students not only have the right to go against canons, traditions, conventions and norms, but where they are encouraged to do so. Where other forms of knowledge than theoretical are also considered and taught. Perception, empathy, emotions, intuitions.
Personal stories, life experiences.
In the school of tomorrow teachers do not tell students what to think, what to believe in, but open "doors" for them and offer them a multitude of possibilities, knowledge, tools, ways of doing and ways of seeing things. Teachers do not take advantage of the young age and the extreme sensitivity of the students to influence them, to transmit to them their personal convictions and struggles. Rather they teach them critical thinking, doubt and skepticism.
Open-mindedness, curiosity, empathy.
This school would then be human, warm, and generous.
This school is going to raise students, teach them to trust in themselves, believe in themselves, be themselves.
This school will make students become authentic, sincere and courageous.
That’s how they will face the world.
Personal stories, life experiences.
In the school of tomorrow teachers do not tell students what to think, what to believe in, but open "doors" for them and offer them a multitude of possibilities, knowledge, tools, ways of doing and ways of seeing things. Teachers do not take advantage of the young age and the extreme sensitivity of the students to influence them, to transmit to them their personal convictions and struggles. Rather they teach them critical thinking, doubt and skepticism.
Open-mindedness, curiosity, empathy.
This school would then be human, warm, and generous.
This school is going to raise students, teach them to trust in themselves, believe in themselves, be themselves.
This school will make students become authentic, sincere and courageous.
That’s how they will face the world.
history
Our first class was held in July 2014 for dance conservatory students in Yerevan, Armenia, and since didn't stop giving classes in formal and informal, indoor and outdoor spaces (university, high school, summer camp, festival, museum, gallery, night club...), mostly - but not exclusively - for women from diverse educational, professional and socio-cultural backgrounds.
results
With a both theory and practice oriented methodology, the "School of Disobedience" increases participating women's self-confidence, fosters their creativity and critical thinking, gives them support, knowledge and tools to resist, defy, protest and take action. The program develops participant's originality and out-of-the-box thinking by offering them a non-hierarchical and judgment-free space where they can express themselves freely: question social norms and expectations, challenge conventions and traditional canons, confront stereotypes, rules and systems in which they are socialized and familiarized with. Participants are also encouraged to liberate themselves from their fears, transgress their boundaries, go beyond their limits and step out of their comfort zone.
organization
On the intersection of creation, research, education and activism, "School of Disobedience" is an interdisciplinary, socially and politically engaged sustainable community art project, dreamed up and created by Anna Ádám.
"School of Disobedience" is legally represented by the Paris-based performance company: Gray Box.
"School of Disobedience" is legally represented by the Paris-based performance company: Gray Box.
staff
"School of Disobedience" classes are led by "unlearning facilitators", having different educational and socio-cultural backgrounds. Artists, musicians, choreographers, dancers, designers, dramatists, researchers, theoreticians, cultural workers from different fields (sociology, ecology, anthropology, psychology, literature, arts...) are invited to offer to the participants an immersive and trans-disciplinary experience, open them to new ideas, point of views, forms, fields, aesthetics, and inspirations, wake up their curiosity, encourage them to identify and follow their dreams. Classes generate countless valuable human connections, physical and emotional interactions, intellectual and cultural exchanges, build friendships for further collaborations. An "Alumni platform" allows participants to keep the contact, reconnect with each other, build a small sustainable community and grow a professional network.