Encounter Theory : Understanding and Transforming Violence Through Connection, Nonviolent Engagement, Interrelationship, and Humanization

Cathryne L Schmitz

ISBN 10: 0197750192 / ISBN 13: 9780197750193

Published by Oxford University Press Aug 2026, 2026

About this Item

Neuware - This book presents Encounter Theory; an approach grounded in engagement with difference and the principle of nonviolent conflict transformation. It offers scholars, peacebuilders, and students a comprehensive way to understand and practice violence transformation by drawing on diverse frames, concepts, and pedagogies from multiple disciplines. Schmitz, Standish, and Sloan, who work across personal, interpersonal, community, and international contexts, aim to create a platform for addressing violence in society, culture, and the self in the twenty-first century. At its core, Encounter Theory calls for meeting others and their deeply held beliefs within a space that is non-dominatory and non-discriminatory, fostering recognition and appreciation. Through such encounters, individuals move toward relationality, building bonds of understanding and re-humanization. The book argues that creating a nonviolent world requires tools that allow us to continually and relentlessly engage with difference, without resorting to violence. The book begins by introducing the foundations of Encounter Theory and then expands its application through an interdisciplinary lens. It explores the breadth of human harm and offers critical perspectives that enable encounter to become a lived practice. Later chapters examine emancipatory peace frameworks, critique limiting approaches, and synthesize insights to illustrate how encounter can serve as a transformative method for addressing violence. Ultimately, the book positions Encounter Theory not only as a theoretical construct but as a practical pathway toward nonviolence and deeper human connection.

Seller Inventory # 9780197750193

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Encounter Theory : Understanding and Transforming Violence Through Connection, Nonviolent Engagement, Interrelationship, and Humanization
• Publisher: Oxford University Press Aug 2026
• Publication Date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0197750192
• ISBN 13: 9780197750193
• Binding: Buch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 243W x 165H x 20D millimeters 243 millimeters width by 165 millimeters height by 20 millimeters depth
• Weight: 508 grams

About this title

Synopsis

This book is about building peace by learning how to engage with differences without resorting to violence. It introduces Encounter Theory, a practical and accessible approach that helps people meet others' beliefs and perspectives in ways that foster understanding and connection. Drawing on insights from multiple disciplines, the book explains why nonviolent engagement matters and how it can transform relationships, communities, and societies. Written for anyone interested in reducing conflict and promoting harmony, it offers clear concepts and real-world applications that make peacebuilding relevant for the challenges of the twenty-first century.

About the Author

Katerina Standish, Professor of Global & International Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, Cathryne L. Schmitz, Professor Emerita, Department of Social Work, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Lacey M. Sloan, Professor, Department of Social Work & Anthropology, Auburn University at Montgomery

Katerina Standish is Professor of Global and International Studies at the University of Northern British Columbia. Standish's teaching and supervision span Western and Indigenous research paradigms. She is the author and editor of books on conflict transformation, education, human rights, community building, gender, genocide, and transformative research. An expert in peace education, graduate pedagogy, and conflict transformation, Standish combines scholarly rigor with practical engagement to advance interdisciplinary approaches to building peace.

Cathryne L. Schmitz is Professor Emerita in the Department of Social Work at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Across her career, she has been committed to community, collective action, advocacy, and social change. The core areas of her scholarship reflect her overall career development--critical multiculturalism, ecological justice, interdisciplinary education, community building, global engagement, human rights, and peacebuilding. She has been engaged in intercultural global teaching, environmental education, knowledge building, and curriculum development.

Lacey M. Sloan is a Professor at Auburn University at Montgomery. Her three intertwining areas of scholarship are environmental justice; sexual rights and gender-based violence; and, social work education and practice in Islamic contexts. Sloan serves on CSWE's Commission on Education Policy (COEP) and served as a consultant for UNICEF-Somalia and UNICEF-South Sudan supporting the rapid deployment of a child protection workforce.