A knock on the door: a non-fiction artefact and exegesis

This thesis examines the way refugee theatre activists responded to negative media coverage of asylum seekers in Australia. It also reflects on the relative lack of journalists' perspectives in academic debates, which were highly critical of the profession. These problems are addressed in a non-fiction book and an accompanying exegesis. The book examines theatre activism as a counter-narrative to the media coverage, which many saw as influenced by Howard Government attempts to reduce sympathy for asylum seekers. The exegesis analyses the method and inspiration for the primary text from the perspective of a journalist who covered the issue extensively.