NVC, Forum Theatre and Collective Intelligence
At the service of the social and ecological transitions

My writings

Index cards

• FOCUS: How can Non-Violent Communication help us in the current political and social crisis?
• Why focus on systems in NVC?
• Examples of specific NVC content with a focus on systems
• A few citations from M B Rosenberg on social systems
• Principles of nonviolence according to Martin Luther King
• Diversity and power wheel
• Centrism and interdependence
• Centrism and discriminations
• Four ways of receiving a message without and with a focus on systems
• Listening, talking, acting with systems in mind

Scientific articles

• Forum theatre-NVC: performing on stage, sharing knowledge and taking action, Sophie Lewandowski, Caroline Filieu Mouhali, 2022. Available at: https://lemag.ird.fr/fr/theatre-forum-jouer-sur-scene-partager-des-savoirs-et-agir
  This short text shows the possible uses of forum theatre- NVC on socially topical issues (drought, stereotypes in education).
  
• “Forum theatre in collaborative action research: serving radical epistemologies? Bodies, emotions, knowledge”, Sophie Lewandowski, Alejandro Molina Valdivia, 2022/1, in Revue Participations, n°32, Epistémologies radicales et recherches participatives, pp 155-181.
  Read the article in French
  Read the article in English
  This text analyses the advantages and risks of using forum theatre in conflicts over resources (water). It also shows the value of forum theatre in approaching and promoting non-Western forms of knowledge.
  
• Forum theatre-NVC to approach drought in the Mediterranean. Power, awareness and knowledge in performance anthropology, Sophie Lewandowski, Philippe Hert, 2023, in Le terrain en arts vivants. Récits, méthodes, pratiques. Coord. N. Gauthard, E. Martin.
  Read the article
  This text shows the value of combining NVC with forum theatre in conflicts linked to resources (water). It highlights how forum theatre-NVC provides an opportunity for embodied awareness without words. It also raises a warning about the role-playing involved in the use of forum theatre-NVC.
  
• What empathy does to the co-construction of knowledge. Forum theatre-NVC in ‘priority’ education districts, Sophie Lewandowski, SociologieS, may 2024, Savoirs pluriels. Enjeux épistémologiques et politiques.
  Read the article
  This text explains empathy as used in NVC and as defined by Carl Rogers, professor and colleague of M. B. Rosenberg. It shows the difference between simple empathy, systemic empathy and cross empathy. It analyses the role of empathy in conflicts linked to social and ethnic-“racial” differences in education.

You can find these texts and a hundred or so of my productions on the website of my research laboratory or on HAL

If they are not online, do not hesitate to write to me to ask for them.

NVC, Forum Theatre and Collective Intelligence
At the service of the social and ecological transitions

My videos

• The challenges of emotional social learning such as NVC :
  « Quels savoirs pour demain ? Éducation et formation socio-émotionnelle », produced by Sophie Lewandowski, 2021 IRD, LPED, 5 mins.
  What knowledge do we need in the face of artificial intelligence and major global crises? Emotional and social intelligence are increasingly in demand. An approach that raises questions about the relevance of sensitivity in education and training.
  
• Forum theatre-NVC and other approaches to education in a district of Marseille :
  « École, famille, quartier », directed by Clotilde O’Deye C. & Sophie Lewandowski, 33 mins, 2022 : Forum theatre-NVC : from 14:42 to 25:20.
  In Marseille city centre, between stereotypes, cultural differences and social inequalities, what support is there for schooling? This project documentary chronicles the day-to-day work of committed tireless and tired, tenacious and creative women: mothers, teachers, association professionals, educators, artists, researchers, national education coordinators…
  
• Forum theatre-NVC and water conflicts :
  Part 1: Morocco: « Théâtre forum, partage de savoirs et concertation : une recherche-action sur l’eau dans le Zerhoun (Maroc) », directed par Zoubir Chattou & Sophie Lewandowski, may 2022, 13 mins
  Part 2:  « Sécheresse dans le Lubéron : théâtre forum, CNV et recherche-action », réalisé par Sophie Lewandowski, Philippe Hert et François Siino, juin 2022, 22 mn.
  Drought, research and forum theatre-NVC. Drought is a major issue on the shores of the Mediterranean. But how can residents, experts and researchers discuss this sensitive issue? In the Thesaman action-research project, Forum Theatre, Non-Violent Communication and collective intelligence workshops were added to the usual qualitative interviews. This approach gave us an opportunity to listen to those who are less likely to speak out, to create links, to co-construct knowledge and to envisage new solutions.
  
• NVC and collective intelligence in the workplace and in research :
  « Le savoir en partage. Expériences coopératives dans un laboratoire de recherche », directed by Sophie Lewandowski, produced by the LPED, IRD, 2019, 30 mins (or short clips)
  In a context of competition and bureaucracy, can science once again become a common good? This video shows how a research laboratory is experimenting with more cooperative tools, governance and attitudes (including non-violent communication).
  
• Forum theatre in action research :
  « Savoir et pouvoir, une expérience de théâtre-forum en recherche-action », directed by Sophie Lewandowski, co-production CATIE-CIRAD-IRD, Spanish with French captions.
  This video (in French and Spanish) dates from 2013, at a time when I hadn’t merged forum theatre with non-violent communication. It is in three parts:
  Forum theatre according to Augusto Boal
  The 6 stages of forum theatre and the action-research project
  Interviews and analyses
  1/ The forum theatre process 2/ Relations of power 3/ Results 4/ Specific features of forum theatre compared with other ‘participatory’ tools 5/ Use of forum theatre in action research.
  
• Forum theatre-Nonviolent Communication:
  « Le théâtre forum-Communication non violente »
  Forum Theatre – Nonviolent Communication is a form of interactive theater inspired by three approaches: 1/ Forum Theatre: fosters a balance of power in favor of equity, based on theatrical games in which spectators take to the stage to change the course of history. It’s a fun way to work on sensitive issues. 2/ Non-Violent Communication: this approach promotes the intent of peaceful cooperation. It enables individuals and groups to anchor themselves internally in a posture of non-violence to serve the essential needs of all. 3/ Collective intelligence: ensures that the solutions found are actually implemented, and that the group comes together to help each other.
  Sophie Lewandowski has been developing Forum Theatre-CNV since 2016 in several countries (Bolivia, mainland France, Guadeloupe, Morocco, Ecuador, Madagascar…) based on the Forum Theatre training received from A. Boal in Paris in 2000 and NVC since 2014 from A-Certif and CNVC trainers following M. Rosenberg’s process. This approach is used in training, action and research projects.
  
• Forum theater, stereotypes and community life in education:
  « Théâtre forum, stéréotypes et vivre ensemble en éducation »
  Social, ethnic and religious tensions… how can we exchange points of view and enter into dialogue when schools reflect social inequalities and misunderstandings? The video recounts a year-long forum theater experience in downtown Marseille (copyright: Satis Aix-Marseille Université).
  
• NVC, Systemics and Ubuntu: Non-Violent Awareness and Conduct:
  « CNV, Systémie et Ubuntu : Conscience et Action Non-Violente »
  Conference by Léontine Keijzer-Gango & Sophie Lewandowski, Forum des Acteurs de la Non-Violence 2024.
  What is peace based on? To be sustainable, the process of non-violence requires justice, diversity and equity. This is the essence of this two-part conference, based on the Ubuntu approach and the social systems approach to non-violent communication. It shows how important it is to become aware of the social and environmental mechanisms that run through us, so as to avoid unwittingly reproducing unequal and/or ethnocentric systems. It also suggests concrete ways of regaining choice in our non-violent postures and actions.
  
• NVC – Education, society and economy:
  « CNV – Education, sociétés et économie  »
  Interview for Ré•enchantons la Terre.
  This three-part interview with Catherine Schmider, Sophie Lewandowski and Dominique Steiler shows how Nonviolent Communication (NVC) – and, more broadly, a posture of non-violence – can be applied in the fields of education, social conflict and the economy.
  
• Awareness and Non-violence:
  « Conscience et Non-violence : Reportage au Forum des acteurs de la non-violence »
  Podcast by Célia Grincourt at the Forum des Acteurs de la Non-violence 2024.
  An immersion into the issue of non-violence, with various testimonials: territories, environment, societies, interculturality, economy, education… different approaches (NVC, forum theater, research, meditation, non-violent action, conflict mediation, etc.).

You can find these videos and others that I have produced on my Youtube channel.

Practicing NVC on social and political issues

Collaborative platform

On this platform you will find:

• A calendar with future citizen NVC workshops :
  You can either suggest a workshop or register to one that’s already on the list
  
• A collaborative database for running these workshops
  Tips, procedures, content, exercises, comments, feedback, etc.
  
  
  Citizen NVC collaborative platform