Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>This chapter presents the rationale of encounter theory, introducing the key concepts that inform the framework. The chapter defines key pillars that underpin encounter theory as well as its four functional aspects: connection, nonviolent engagement, inter-relationship, and humanization. The chapter will briefly articulate the theory to the academic and practical discipline of peace and conflict studies, then define and delineate the difference between negative peace and positive peace. The chapter will demonstrate the concepts of community and relationship, explore the difference between paradigms of violence and nonviolence, and present the four peace praxes of encounter theory. Finally, the chapter will provide the tools to immediately survey whether one is in a positive encounter through four key questions that allow one to test if they are using encounter theory.</jats:p>