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Theatre and Research in the Reproductive Sciences

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Abstract

This paper explores the power of theatre to engage the public and my personal journey using theatre as a research tool in reproductive science. I argue that the capacity of theatre to simultaneously engage the minds and hearts of audience members qua research participants affords audience members the capacity to provide researchers with insightful comments informed by the scientific, social and tacit knowledge derived from the performance, integrated with their lived experience. Theatre is a particularly important research strategy when investigating public understandings and desires about complex issues such as those related to reproductive and genetic science.

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Notes

  1. A. Boal, The Rainbow of Desire—The Boal Method of Theatre and Therapy (New York: Routledge Press, 1995), 13.

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  5. E. Batley, and D. Bradby. Morality and justice: The challenge of European theatre. European Studies (Amsterdam: Rodopi Bv Editions, 2001), 8 and 10.

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  7. D. Whitton, “Whatever happened to théâtre populaire? The unfinished history of people's theatre in France.” In Morality and justice: The challenge of European theatre, ed. E. Batley, and D. Bradby (Amsterdam: Editions Rodopi B.V., 2001), 54.

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  10. F. von Schiller, Wilhelm Tell (Chicago: University of Chicago, 1972).

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  12. A. Boal, The Rainbow of Desire—The Boal Method of Theatre and Therapy.

  13. Ibid.

  14. J.A. Nisker, “The yellow brick road of medical education,” Canadian Medical Association Journal, 1997, 156, no. 5:689–691.

  15. I. Ramzy, and J.A. Nisker, “Histologic study of ovaries from young women with endometrial adenocarcinoma,” American Journal of Clinical Pathology, 1979, 71, no. 3:253–256.; J.A. Nisker, I. Ramzy, and J. A. Collins, “Adenocarcinoma of the endometrium and abnormal ovarian function in young women,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1978, 130, no. 5:546–550.

  16. G.L. Hammond, J.A. Nisker, L A. Jones, and P.K. Siiteri, “Estimation of the percentage of free steroid in undiluted serum by centrifugal ultrafiltration-dialysis,” Journal of Biological Chemistry, 1980, 255, no. 11:5023–5026.; J.A. Nisker, G.L. Hammond, B.J. Davidson, A.M. Frumar, N.K. Takaki, H.L. Judd, and P.K. Siiteri, “Serum sex hormone-binding globulin capacity and the percentage of free estradiol in postmenopausal women with and without endometrial carcinoma. A new biochemical basis for the association between obesity and endometrial carcinoma,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1980, 138, no. 6:637–642.; P.K. Siiteri,, J.T. Murai, G.L. Hammond, J.A. Nisker, W.J. Raymoure, and R.W. Kuhn, “The serum transport of steroid hormones,” Recent Prog.Horm.Res., 1982, 38, 457–510.

  17. J.A. Nisker, and P K. Siiteri, “Estrogens and breast cancer,” Clin.Obstet.Gynecol., 1981, 24, no. 1:301–322.; P.K.Siiteri, G.L. Hammond, and J A. Nisker, “Increased availability of serum estrogens in breast cancer: A new hypothesis,” Banbury Report No. 8: Hormones and Cancer, ed. M.C. Pike, P.K. Siiteri, and C.W. Welsch (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y: Laboratory Press, 1981).

  18. Ibid; J.A. Nisker, G.L. Hammond, B.J. Davidson, A.M. Frumar, N. K. Takaki, H L. Judd, and P.K. Siiteri, “Serum sex hormone-binding globulin capacity and the percentage of free estradiol in postmenopausal women with and without endometrial carcinoma. A new biochemical basis for the association between obesity and endometrial carcinoma,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1980, 138, no. 6:637–642.

  19. J.A. Nisker,, M.E. Kirk, and J.T. Nunez-Troconis, “Reduced incidence of rabbit endometrial neoplasia with levonorgestrel implant,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1988, 158, no. 2:300–303; H.A. Shahabi, T.W. Hutchens, J.L. Wittliff, S.D. Halmo, M.E. Kirk, and J.A. Nisker, “Physicochemical characterization of estrogen receptors from a rabbit endometrial carcinoma model,” Estrogen Receptors In Endometrial Cancer (New York: Raven, 1984).

  20. K.B. Mullis, and F. Faloona, “Specific synthesis of DNA in vitro via a polymerase-catalyzed chain reaction,” Methods in Enzymology, 1987, 155, 335–350.

  21. Ibid.

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  23. J.A. Nisker, and R.E. Gore-Langton, “Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis: A Model of Progress and Concern,” Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecololgy of Canada, 1995, 17, no. 3:247–262.

  24. S. Sherwin, No Longer Patient: Feminist Ethics and Health Care (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1992); F.E. Baylis, “The ethics of ex utero research on spare 'non-viable' IVF human embryos,” Bioethics, 1990, 4, no. 4:311–329.

  25. J.A. Nisker, and R.E. Gore-Langton, “Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis: A Model of Progress and Concern.”

  26. J.A. Nisker, “Orchids: Not Necessarily a Gospel,” Mappa Mundi: Mapping Culture/Mapping the World, ed. J. Murray, (Windsor, Ontario: University of Windsor Press, 2001), 61–109; J. Nisker, Orchids: Not Necessarily a Gospel Original Touring Production, Louise Fagan, 1998.

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  29. Ibid.

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  31. Ibid; J.A. Nisker, “Narrative ethics in health care.”

  32. J. Nisker, D.K. Martin, R. Bluhm, and A.S. Daar, “Theatre as a public engagement tool for health-policy development,” Health Policy, 2006, 78, no. 2–3:258–271.

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  35. Ibid.

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  41. M.C. Nussbaum, Love's Knowledge (New York: Oxford University Press, 1990), 39 and 316.

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  43. H. Brody, Stories of Sickness (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1987), 463.

  44. J. Winston, Theorising drama as moral education. Journal of Moral Education, 1999, 28(4), 459–471.

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  46. J.A. Nisker, “Narrative ethics in health care.”

  47. T. Greenhalgh, and B. Hurwitz, Narrative Based Medicine: Dialogue and discourse in clinical practice (London: BMJ Books, 1998).

  48. P. Brook, The Ik (London: Round House, 1976).

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  51. S. Webster, Science on stage and screen: Thoughts on a Wellcome Trust conference (London: Wellcome Trust, 2000), 3.

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  53. J.A. Nisker, “Narrative ethics in health care;” A.L. Cole, and M. McIntyre, “The Love stories: About caregiving and Alzheimer's disease,” [DVD], 2006, available from http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/research/mappingcare; G.J. Mitchell, C. Jonas-Simpson, and V. Ivonoffski, “Research-based theatre: The making of I'm Still Here!” Nursing science quarterly., 2006, 19, no. 3:198–206.

  54. V. Ivonoffski, and R. Gray, Handle with care? Women living with metastic breast cancer [Performance Script] (Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Psychosocial and Behavioural Research Unit at Toronto Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Centre, 1998).

  55. V. Ivonoffski, and R.E. Gray, No big deal? [Performance script] (Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Toronto Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Centre, 2000).

  56. G. J. Mitchell, C. Jonas-Simpson, and V. Ivonoffski Research-based theatre: The making of I'm Still Here!.

  57. A.L. Cole and M. McIntyre, The Love stories: About caregiving and Alzheimer's disease [DVD], 2006.

  58. V. Bergum, A Child on Her Mind: The Experience of Becoming a Mother (United States: Bergin & Garvey, 1997).

  59. J.A. Nisker, “Physician obligation in oocyte procurement,” American Journal of Bioethics, 2001, 1, no. 4:22–23; J.A Nisker, “Rachel's ladders or how societal situation determines reproductive therapy,” Human Reproduction, 1996, 11, no. 6:1162–1167; J.A. Nisker, “Anniversary of injustice: April fool's day,” 1994. “Will the Enactment of Bill C-6 be the birthday of equitable reproductive health care in Canada,” Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecololgy of Canada, 2004, 26, no. 4:321–324; J.A. Nisker, “In quest of the perfect analogy for using in vitro fertilization patients as oocyte donors,” Womens Health Issues, 1997, 7, no. 4:241–247.

  60. S. Rogers, F. Baylis, A. Lippman, J. MacMillan, Parish, and J. Nisker, “Policy statement: preconception arrangements,” Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecololgy of Canada, 1997, 19, no. 4:393–399.

  61. J. Nisker, and V. Bergum, “A Child On Her Mind,” Mother Life. Studies of Mothering Experience, ed. V. Bergum, and J. Van Der Zalm (Edmonton, Alberta: Pedagon Publishing, 2007); J. Nisker and V. Bergum, A child on her mind [Premier] (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: Canadian Bioethics Society Annual Conference, 1999).

  62. M. Anderson, “The Score,” The Electric Company Theater Society, 2000.

  63. M. Edson, Wit 2001 (New York: Faber and Faber, 2001).

  64. L. Richardson, “Writing: A Method of Inquiry,” Handbook of Qualitative Research, ed. N.K. Denzin, and Y. S. Lincoln (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2000).

  65. A. Huxley, A Brave New World (United Kingdom: Chatto and Windus, 1932).

  66. I. Levin, The Boys from Brazil (New York: Random House, 1976).

  67. K. Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go (New York: Random House, 2005).

  68. J.A. Nisker, “Narrative ethics in health care;” J. Nisker, D.K. Martin, R. Bluhm, and A.S. Daar, “Theatre as a public engagement tool for health-policy development;” J. Nisker, “Theatre as a Health-Policy Research Tool,” Handbook of the Arts in Qualitative Research: Perspectives, Methodologies, Examples, and Issues, ed. J.G. Knowles, and A.L. Cole (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2008).

  69. Ibid.

  70. J. Nisker, D.K. Martin, R. Bluhm, and A.S. Daar, “Theatre as a public engagement tool for health-policy development.”

  71. S. Jovchelovitch and M.W. Bauer, “Narrative Interviewing,” Qualitative Researching with Text, Image and Sound: A Practical Handbook, ed. M. Bauer and G. Gaskell (London: Sage, 2000), 67.

  72. J. Nisker and A. White, “The CMA Code of Ethics and the donation of fresh embryos for stem cell research,” Canadian Medical Association Journal, 2005, 173, no. 6:621–622; J. Nisker, and R. Mykitiuk, “Social determinants of the ‘health’ of embryos,” The "Healthy" Embryo: Social, Biomedical, Legal and Philosophical Perspectives, ed. J. Nisker, F. Baylis, I. Karpin, C. McLeod, and R. Mykitiuk (Cambridge University Press, in press 2009); J. Nisker, “Distributive Justice and Infertility Treatment in Canada,” Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecololgy of Canada, 2008, 30(5), 425–431.

  73. J. Nisker, D.K. Martin, R. Bluhm, and A.S. Daar, “Theatre as a public engagement tool for health-policy development.”

  74. S. Cox, M. Kazubowski-Houston, and J. Nisker, “Genetics on Stage: Public Engagement in Health Policy Development on Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis,” Social Science & Medicine, 2009, in press.

  75. Ibid.

  76. Ibid; J. Nisker, D.K. Martin, R. Bluhm, and A.S. Daar, “Theatre as a public engagement tool for health-policy development.”

  77. J. Nisker and A.S. Daar, “Moral presentation of genetics-based narratives for public understanding of genetic science and its implications,” Public Understanding of Science, 2006, 15, 113–123.

  78. J. Nisker, D.K. Martin, R. Bluhm, and A.S. Daar, “Theatre as a public engagement tool for health-policy development.”

  79. Ibid.

  80. Ibid.

  81. Ibid.

  82. Ibid; S. Coleman and J. Gøtze, Bowling together: Online public engagement in policy deliberation. (London: Hansard Society, 2001); P. Freire, Pedagogy of the oppressed (New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group, 2003).

  83. J. Nisker, D.K. Martin, R. Bluhm, and A.S. Daar, “Theatre as a public engagement tool for health-policy development;” S. Cox, M. Kazubowski-Houston, and J. Nisker, “Genetics on Stage: Public Engagement in Health Policy Development on Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis.”

  84. J. Nisker, D.K. Martin, R. Bluhm, and A.S. Daar, “Theatre as a public engagement tool for health-policy development.”

  85. G. Rowe and L.J. Frewer, “Public participation methods: A framework for evaluation,” Science, Technology, & Human Values, 2000, 25, no. 1:3–29; J. Lenaghan, “Involving the public in rationing decisions. The experience of citizens’ juries.” Health Policy, 1999, 49, no. 1–2:45–61.

  86. J. Nisker, D.K. Martin, R. Bluhm, and A.S. Daar, “Theatre as a public engagement tool for health-policy development.”

  87. A. Bown, “Mind the Gap. Y touring,” 2004; I. Gareau and H. Doucet, 2008.

  88. R.E. Gray and C. Sinding, Standing ovation: Performing social science research about cancer (Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press, 2002).

  89. Ibid.

  90. J. Nisker, D.K. Martin, R. Bluhm, and A.S. Daar, “Theatre as a public engagement tool for health-policy development.”

  91. J. Nisker, “Theatre as a Health-Policy Research Tool;” S. Cox, M. Kazubowski-Houston, and J. Nisker., “Genetics on Stage: Public Engagement in Health Policy Development on Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis.”

  92. S. Cox, M. Kazubowski-Houston, and J. Nisker, “Genetics on Stage: Public Engagement in Health Policy Development on Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis.”

  93. J.A. Nisker, “Orchids: Not Necessarily a Gospel;” J. Nisker, Orchids: Not Necessarily a Gospil Original Touring Production, Louise Fagan.

  94. S. Cox, M. Kazubowski-Houston, and J. Nisker, “Genetics on Stage: Public Engagement in Health Policy Development on Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis.”

  95. Ibid.

  96. Ibid.

  97. Ibid.

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    Jeff Nisker

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Correspondence to Jeff Nisker.

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Funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health, and Genome Canada/Ontario Genomics Institute.

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Nisker, J. Theatre and Research in the Reproductive Sciences. J Med Humanit 31, 81–90 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10912-009-9101-9

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