The application of theory to practice in addressing social transformation still has a lot of room for growth and improvement. This is also true of theory being informed by practice. Too often, there are gaps between what is studied in the academy and what is needed in the field. The academy develops theories in isolation from the everyday lives of people, especially in post-conflict environments. Communities seeking innovative ways to address their social needs can benefit from the learning of theories and research conducted within academia. At the same time, these methods need to be relevant to the local contexts within which they are being used. While there are certain norms of communication in the academy of how research is conducted and disseminated, there needs to be a translation into practical terms to be used in the field. Redefining Theory and Practice to Guide Social Transformation: Emerging Research and Opportunities addresses the need practitioners and social change agents have in finding processes and practices to use in the field to engage with and transform communities. This critical reference book provides an innovative fieldwork method that leads to social transformation and suggests ways to further develop the relationship between academic theories and practices around social conflicts with the existing local knowledge. The chapters include mini case studies that have been developed over the years from the authors' work with youth and community leaders with the objective of providing a methodology that allows practitioners to approach the field by engaging with local actors in ways that are generative and trustworthy, yet rigorous. While highlighting the practices, notions, and technologies that are at work in conflict, post-conflict, or transitioning out of conflict settings by local community leaders, this book is ideally for practitioners in the field of conflict, peacebuilding, and social and conflict transformation; community leaders and social organizers; as well as practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, academicians, and students interested in social transformation.

The authors have written about some of these findings in various channels, including a case study on the “Case of Medellin” for the “Missing Peace: Independent Progress Study on Youth, Peace, and Security”, written for the United Nations after the adoption of resolution 2250 in 2015. Most of the literature explains the condition of youth in conflict zones tend to reduce them to the victim-victimizer dichotomy. This book tells stories of youth in conflict zones, and through their life history the authors theorize about what constitutes being a youth in a conflict zone. This approach sheds light on what these youth enjoy, desire, fear, how they see the world and the future, to be able to understand peace and peacebuilding from a broader perspective. Expands the current understanding of youth by considering the condition of “youthness,” from the perspectives of youth themselves. Although the emphasis is on individual testimonies, the research gives ample opportunity to appreciate the contextual diversity in the local regional social processes beyond Colombia. There are many academic programs centering their work on this subject matter, including: Negotiation and Conflict Resolution master’s program at Columbia University; Peace and Conflict Studies master’s program at Rutgers University; Peace and Conflict Studies master’s program at University of Oslo; Peacebuilding master’s program at Universidad de Los Andes (Colombia).

The authors have written about some of these findings in various channels, including a case study on the “Case of Medellin” for the “Missing Peace: Independent Progress Study on Youth, Peace, and Security”, written for the United Nations after the adoption of resolution 2250 in 2015. Most of the literature explains the condition of youth in conflict zones tend to reduce them to the victim-victimizer dichotomy. This book tells stories of youth in conflict zones, and through their life history the authors theorize about what constitutes being a youth in a conflict zone. This approach sheds light on what these youth enjoy, desire, fear, how they see the world and the future, to be able to understand peace and peacebuilding from a broader perspective. Expands the current understanding of youth by considering the condition of “youthness,” from the perspectives of youth themselves. Although the emphasis is on individual testimonies, the research gives ample opportunity to appreciate the contextual diversity in the local regional social processes beyond Colombia. There are many academic programs centering their work on this subject matter, including: Negotiation and Conflict Resolution master’s program at Columbia University; Peace and Conflict Studies master’s program at Rutgers University; Peace and Conflict Studies master’s program at University of Oslo; Peacebuilding master’s program at Universidad de Los Andes (Colombia).

This book addresses the disparity between transformative learning theory as espoused and practiced in the classrooms of the academy, and its application beyond. It articulates new models of transformative education that integrate transformative learning theory with other models of change and development. The three editors and eleven contributors draw on both theory and practice to illustrate how transformative learning has been introduced to a variety of settings and cultures, and synergistically integrated with theories of communication, participatory action research, and communities of inquiry and practice. Organized around the themes of creating space for learning; looking though the lenses of culture, diversity, and difference; and animating awareness through the expressive and performative arts, this collection will broaden awareness and aid scholars, students, and practitioners in using transformative learning as an approach to adult learning and social and organizational change in a range of settings.

The Reflective, Facilitative and Interpretive Practices of the Coordinated Management of Meaning: Making Lives, Making Meaning, showcases practical applications of the theory of Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM). In the facilitation section, CMM creates dynamics within groups leading toward improved ways of working together; in the interpretation section CMM offers alternative frames to interpret interactions with one another; and in the reflection section CMM is a means to reflect on experiences and interactions to deeper levels of understanding and learning. CMM is grounded in social constructionism, takes a communication perspective and provides concepts and tools for making better social worlds.

The application of theory to practice in addressing social transformation still has a lot of room for growth and improvement. This is also true of theory being informed by practice. Too often, there are gaps between what is studied in the academy and what is needed in the field. The academy develops theories in isolation from the everyday lives of people, especially in post-conflict environments. Communities seeking innovative ways to address their social needs can benefit from the learning of theories and research conducted within academia. At the same time, these methods need to be relevant to the local contexts within which they are being used. While there are certain norms of communication in the academy of how research is conducted and disseminated, there needs to be a translation into practical terms to be used in the field. Redefining Theory and Practice to Guide Social Transformation: Emerging Research and Opportunities addresses the need practitioners and social change agents have in finding processes and practices to use in the field to engage with and transform communities. This critical reference book provides an innovative fieldwork method that leads to social transformation and suggests ways to further develop the relationship between academic theories and practices around social conflicts with the existing local knowledge. The chapters include mini case studies that have been developed over the years from the authors' work with youth and community leaders with the objective of providing a methodology that allows practitioners to approach the field by engaging with local actors in ways that are generative and trustworthy, yet rigorous. While highlighting the practices, notions, and technologies that are at work in conflict, post-conflict, or transitioning out of conflict settings by local community leaders, this book is ideally for practitioners in the field of conflict, peacebuilding, and social and conflict transformation; community leaders and social organizers; as well as practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, academicians, and students interested in social transformation.