The drama of development in intervention: an investigation from the perspective of cultural psychology of semiotic mediation

Ph.d.-thesis by Shuangshuang Xu

This thesis explores new ways to understand the complexity of development in intervention, especially cultural-aesthetic development in Drama-in-Education (DiE). The present field of intervention is going through a neoliberal rationalization process, with the popularity of evidence-based intervention research as a manifestation. When examined from the narrow means-end scheme, intervention risks being reduced to a direct mode of production. This becomes especially debatable in DiE with all the uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity of the drama space.

Cultural psychology of semiotic mediation (CPSM) is adopted as the theoretical and methodological lens to resume and capture the systemic, holistic, subjective and intentional nature of development in intervention. It theorizes the individual as an intra-personal system being nested in and actively developing from its relation with the environment. Setting from the systemic view, this thesis introduces and integrates ideas from different traditions:

First, the notions of SHI (势) and SHUN SHI (顺势) from Chinese philosophy are introduced. SHI represents individual’s developmental propensity, and SHUN SHI is to follow and transform the dynamic evolving process of SHI. SHI foregrounds the becoming dimension derived from the tendency of historical development. This discussion brings in the condition-consequence scheme, highlighting intervention as a complex interplay between directionality and possibility. Second, targeting on the development of the intra-personal system, Vygotsky’s theorization of intellect-affect development from the primary vital whole is examined from two sides: for self-control and for aesthetic transcendence. The existential orientation is introduced to advance the latter into existential psychology of art. This orientation also enables to reconsider the mediating role of language on consciousness by foregrounding the notions of “sensuous consciousness”, “existential affective experiences” and “illumination”. Third, from the lens of CPSM, three approaches for facilitating new understanding in DiE are distinguished. Empirical data of a DiE session is included for a micro-genetic analysis of participants’ dynamic semiotic construction in DiE. DiE is summarized as a hybrid cultural-aesthetic space catalyzing development by mediating experience blending in plural worlds.

This thesis aims to provide

1. a theoretical understanding of the complexity of developmental intervention and cultural-aesthetic development in intervention;
2. a theoretical approach to research DiE for developmental intervention.

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