Theatre of Opressed and Enviromental Licensing

methodological contributions to critical environmental education in the PEA Territories of Oil

Abstract

This article focuses on the use of the Theatre of the Oppressed (TO), developed by Augusto Boal, as a methodological tool to promote participatory and critical processes within the context of environmental licensing in Brazil. It uses the Environmental Education Project Territórios do Petróleo as a case study—an extension initiative of the Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, covering 10 municipalities in the Campos Basin. The analysis begins with the observation that traditional participatory mechanisms established by environmental legislation, such as public hearings, while important, can be expanded through non-traditional participatory tools that enhance the listening and engagement of communities affected by large-scale development projects. The article seeks to explore how TO, in conjunction with the principles of Critical Environmental Education, can contribute to the democratization of decision-making processes, the identification of socio-environmental conflicts, and the construction of a pedagogy oriented toward environmental justice. The aim of the study is to analyze the methodological contributions of TO as a political-pedagogical resource capable of presenting conflicts in a popular format, thereby raising awareness about socio-environmental impacts and broadening public debate by including historically silenced voices.