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9 - Forgiving Not Fighting

Fostering Trust and Reconciliation

from Part III - Give Peace a Chance!

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 August 2024

Dominic Rohner
Affiliation:
Université de Lausanne, Switzerland
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Summary

This chapter argues that building strong institutions and a productive economy in the aftermath of conflict is not enough and that rebuilding lost social capital and trust is of paramount importance. Intergroup trust matters deeply, as the same formal institutions can have divergent effects in different social structures and for different levels of social capital. Starting from the so-called contact hypothesis that fostering positive intergroup interaction builds trust, it is argued that reconciliation and the rebuilding of social trust are also part of the promising blend of propeace policies. A variety of empirical studies are discussed, ranging from reconciliation efforts in Rwanda and Sierra Leone to programs fostering intergroup contacts in Spain, Nigeria, India and Iraq. While we find that more intense group contacts deploy typically desirable effects, trying to achieve reconciliation by altering beliefs through media campaigns is a double-edged sword that involves a series of dangers. We conclude this chapter by stressing the key role of stepping up critical thinking.

Type
Chapter
Information
The Peace Formula
Voice, Work and Warranties, Not Violence
, pp. 132 - 150
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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  • Forgiving Not Fighting
  • Dominic Rohner, Université de Lausanne, Switzerland
  • Book: The Peace Formula
  • Online publication: 31 August 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009438322.012
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  • Forgiving Not Fighting
  • Dominic Rohner, Université de Lausanne, Switzerland
  • Book: The Peace Formula
  • Online publication: 31 August 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009438322.012
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Forgiving Not Fighting
  • Dominic Rohner, Université de Lausanne, Switzerland
  • Book: The Peace Formula
  • Online publication: 31 August 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009438322.012
Available formats
×