Cynthia Cohen

About the Author

Cynthia Cohen is a pioneering scholar and practitioner in the fields of peacebuilding and conflict transformation, with a career dedicated to harnessing the power of performance arts to foster reconciliation in regions scarred by violence. As the founding director of the Program in Peacebuilding and the Arts at Brandeis University, she has collaborated with artists, activists, and communities worldwide to explore how theater, dance, and other creative expressions can bridge divides and heal wounds. Her work emphasizes the role of empathy and collective storytelling in resisting oppression and promoting justice, drawing from extensive fieldwork in conflict zones across Africa, the Middle East, and beyond. Cohen's interdisciplinary approach continues to inspire innovative strategies for social change through artistic intervention.