Dealing with the Past Intergroup Violence

Abstract

In intergroup conflicts, dealing with the past is essential for reconciliation. Peoples’ tendencies to blame each other for the past ingroup suffering by outgroup can cause a considerable challenge for reconciliation. Alternatively, if people show forgiving attitudes toward outgroups for inflicting ingroup suffering, intergroup relations can improve. This study analyzed how rival group members react when discussing past intergroup violence. The study is based on structured dialogue meetings with Albanian and Serbian participants in Kosovo. Using Braun and Clarke’s guide for data analysis, the results showed that rival group members emphasize mainly the events when the ingroup have suffered while neglecting the events when the outgroup have suffered. The study found that people use various strategies to deny or justify past ingroup violence toward the outgroup. Forgiveness, apology, blaming the other, collective responsibility and ingroup shame, are themes that have emerged when rival groups discussed past intergroup violence. We discuss the implications of these themes for intergroup relations in Kosovo.