Special Issue Call for Papers

Special Issue: ‘Diasporas in Dramatherapy’

Guest Editor: Taylor Mitchell, Independent dramatherapist

taylorrgmitchelldramatherapy@gmail.com

Deadline: 20 July 2024

This Special Issue attempts to highlight the voices of dramatherapists with lived experiences in the diaspora, as well as those of marginalized practitioners who are underrepresented due to their cultural, gender, political, racial, religious or ethnic belonging (or not belonging). This issue’s purpose is to evidence dramatherapy practice in the context of diaspora, to celebrate the voices of those inhabiting the diasporic space, and to document the influence of these unique experiences in drama therapy practice. 

A diaspora usually brings to mind a group of people who have been displaced, dispersed, or exiled from their homeland. From its Greek etymology, the term denotes ‘dispersal’, literally referring to ‘the scattering of the seed’. Thus, being part of a diaspora is generally construed as inheriting a relationship with identity that is intrinsically bound to communal experiences of cultural, political, and racial displacement. A diasporic healing may involve finding belonging, processing grief, and acknowledging the impact of generational and collective traumas. However, the dispersal journey may also be thought of as initiating a movement, for instance, by creating diasporic spaces through cultural practices. In this sense, the Special Issue is an invitation to reflect on diasporic aspects of dramatherapy in general.

Some of the topics that we are inviting contributors to engage with include: Transgenerational lens in relation to mental health and dramatherapy; diaspora and the body; displacement; identity, sexuality, spirituality, religion, human rights, race and racism, culture, diversity, and representation in connection to diaspora; mental wellness and self-determination; the relationality of whiteness and diaspora; othering; the forced migration of dramatherapists from face-to-face practice to online work; belonging and identity; kinship; uncertainty and diaspora. Authors are encouraged to be mindful of what may emerge from the complexity around displacement, identity and intersectionality.

The context of diaspora is valuable to the field of dramatherapy and of psychotherapy at large, as it acknowledges the nuance of collectivist cultures, as well as individual experiences often overlooked or underrepresented by dominant western, European, and colonial frameworks. A dedicated body of work in this field may provide a space for individuals to become acquainted with previously unrecognized common patterns, within a self-identified diaspora. Prospective authors are invited to explore their own lived experience or locate themselves when sharing clinical work in relation to their clients and practice. This call seeks to provide an inclusive platform to honour the sacredness inseparable from the backgrounds inhabited by clients and clinicians under the theme of diaspora. Contributions are welcome in the forms of:

• full-length scholarly articles;
• reflections from practice;
• interviews;
• reviews of performances, art, literature, films etc.;
• book reviews; and
• creative contributions.

Contributors are invited to consult the journal’s Notes for Contributors, and to follow the Ethical Guidelines laid out on Intellect’s website: https://www.intellectbooks.com/ethical-guidelines

General Call for Papers

We are glad to inform you that Dramatherapy is about to begin a new phase, undergoing two momentous changes:

1. Starting with the first issue in 2024, the journal will be under the roof of Intellect, a prominent publisher in the field (alongside our North American twin, Drama Therapy Review, with which we have a relationship of mutual support and partnership).
2. Thanks to a wise decision of the BADth Executive Board, the journal will be Diamond Open Access. It means that its contents can be freely accessed by scholars, professionals, and students all over the world, with no Article Processing Charge (APC) for authors. There is no doubt that this will contribute to the journal’s widespread circulation, as well as its international and intercultural vocation.

As new editors, we are delighted to invite you to submit original works to be considered for the upcoming issue. We are welcoming a wide range of contributions, including:

1. Scholarly articles. This is a peer-reviewed section, which includes research (qualitative, quantitative, art-based and mixed-methods), scoping and systematic reviews, theoretical and conceptual essays, as well as interdisciplinary contributions that are relevant to dramatherapy practice and theory. All the articles will undergo a process of double-blind peer review.
2. Reflections from practice. This peer reviewed section encompasses any aspect emerging from clinical work, supervision, and training in dramatherapy. It includes (but is not limited to) clinical comments, short case studies, reports of innovative applications of dramatherapy in various fields and diverse cultural contexts, reflections on methods and techniques, as well as issues arising in supervision and training.
3. Interviews with prominent scholars and practitioners in dramatherapy and related fields.
4. Reviews (performances, art, literature, films, etc.)
5. Book reviews (concerning dramatherapy or related fields).
6. Creative contributions. These encompass original artistic contributions that are pertinent to dramatherapy practice, such as short stories, theatrical texts, poetry, graphic expressions (photographs, video clips), etc. It also welcomes descriptions of innovative exercises and techniques, such as warm-ups, closures or other activities that can be shared with other colleagues.

Contributions should be submitted via the 'Submit' button on the journal's webpage.

Download the Notes for Contributors for information on format and style of submissions: https://www.intellectbooks.com/asset/78956/1/Dramatherapy_Journal_NfC.pdf

The editors,

Susana Pendzik and Salvo Pitruzzella