Development Studies student makes an impact overseas

Patricia Miner is a student who has truly discovered the diverse experiences available in the Faculty of Communication and Culture.  From January to April 2008 Miner was part of a group running Project Theatre India. 

Project theatre is considered a participatory, grassroots form of development that uses theatre as a medium to create discourse within a community.  The particular trip Patricia took was based in a town called Hasguli, in Karnataka State, in the south western part of India.    

"The purpose of Project Theatre is for people to act out issues that are common in their communities," comments Miner.  "Some issues we encountered were struggles over land rights and money." 

Miner feels that her work in India was rewarding because of the connections she made with the people and the practical experience she received. 

"It was surprisingly easy to connect with people despite the cross-cultural barriers that we face.  I learned that this form of development is extremely realistic and encourages communication between people. The whole trip really opened my eyes to the different issues developing countries face."