Explores how artists, practitioners, and educators use theatre and the arts to address social and political conflict across diversity of contexts, issues, and locations and within both traditional and nontraditional settings. Examines how the arts have challenged social and political structures and how performance can be used in the community as a tool for social change. Discusses and challenges the role of the arts in society. Explores the work of community-based artists and educators who, within their specific contexts, transform and create new theatre techniques as a way of addressing social change. Offers students an opportunity to work with a local community organization to design a short performance project that addresses a topical issue.