Intersections of Social Circus and Social Work: A Critical and Embodied Analysis

Abstract

Social circus is a term generally accepted to refer to a form of social intervention using circus arts. This thesis examines the intersection of social work and social circus, and the social /political benefit of bringing together anti-oppressive social work practice with social circus for the purposes of self-improvement and community consciousness-raising. The project deploys critical social work theory—notably queer and disabilities theories—to analyze, critique, and disrupt social circus’s ableist and colonial features, by asking what a critically-oriented social circus as a space for all people to create art and share their stories might look like. Methods include two analytic processes: a critical review of the current literature on social circus and an embodied circus practice. Findings mirror tensions between critical and mainstream approaches to both practices. The project shares insights for critical social work and emphasizes the importance of reframing as a pathway of resistance against oppression.