First Advisor

Tom Hastings

Date of Award

Spring 6-14-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Conflict Resolution and University Honors

Department

Conflict Resolution

Language

English

Subjects

pedagogy, conflict resolution, social justice, conflict transformation, creative habilitation, critical education

DOI

10.15760/honors.1858

Abstract

Current pedagogical theory and practices grounded in social justice aim to rectify systemic barriers to equity, yet despite decades of teaching through a social justice lens, social inequality and cultural division are on the rise.  "Justice," as a noun, has several meanings (Cambridge Dictionary). It can mean "judge", "law," or "fairness," and justice, no matter its meaning or its need, is achieved through methods of conflict resolution and conflict transformation. This inquiry seeks to present conflict transformation as a radical means of achieving transformative social justice, bringing voice to the voiceless and oppressed, and rectifying the contradictions in the current model that perpetuate and compound current social injustice.  Through a critical analysis and a detailed case study of Portland Community College's social justice theatre program, The Illumination Project, this article makes the argument for the adoption of conflict transformation theory as pedagogy in the United States and offers recommendations to implement such. It is also the goal of this study to successfully apply conflict transformation framework to this review to serve as an example of problem solving through this lens.

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/44792

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