Literature as a Tool for Reconciliation? A Social-Psychological Approach in Peace Research
Bellmer, Rasmus (2019)
2019
Master's Degree Programme in Peace, Mediation and Conflict Research
Yhteiskuntatieteiden tiedekunta - Faculty of Social Sciences
This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2019-12-13
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-201911196087
http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-201911196087
Tiivistelmä
The public often praises literature and other forms of art as powerful tools to achieve positive social change. But in which ways can art support social change, for instance in the aftermath of a violent conflict? To engage with this general question, this thesis explores the potential of literature to contribute to intergroup reconciliation. It offers a novel approach to explore the psychological foundations of the commonly ascribed reconciliatory potential of the arts.
As an exercise in inter-disciplinary thinking, the thesis approaches its research puzzle from two directions. Firstly, it analyses the academic debate in Peace Research and related disciplines around the arts and reconciliation nexus and explores the potential ascribed to the arts in general and literature in particular to contribute to reconciliation, specifically on a cognitive level. Secondly, the thesis examines how studies and theories from Social Psychology can deepen the existing knowledge in Peace Research in regard to the potential of art to contribute to reconciliation. The thesis approaches reconciliation as a cognitive process to bring unity to conflicting narratives by reconstructing both group-related and individual narratives and, consequently, explores possible pathways through which art literature can contribute to this process. Thereby, the thesis identifies possible cognitive processes that could also run on an individual’s psychological level when confronted with an artistic product. An excerpt from Saša Stanišić’s novel How the Soldier Repairs the Gramophone illustrates the theoretical elaboration.
The findings of this study suggest that from a theoretical perspective, literary arts can function as a forceful means to support a cognitive change that is required to achieve sincere reconciliation between conflicting parties. From a social-psychological point of view, literature (1) can contribute to the rehumanisation of the other in the aftermath of a violent conflict; (2) can offer a means to engage and get acquainted with other narratives and can, consequently, contribute to the reconstruction of own narratives of the past; and (3) can increase the readiness for the acknowledgement of responsibility for ingroup misdeeds by lowering the negative consequences of prevailing victimhood narratives.
Following this, the thesis encourages to think peacebuilding and the arts more closely together and advocates for the inclusion of more artistic elements in traditional public as well as private peacebuilding initiatives.
As an exercise in inter-disciplinary thinking, the thesis approaches its research puzzle from two directions. Firstly, it analyses the academic debate in Peace Research and related disciplines around the arts and reconciliation nexus and explores the potential ascribed to the arts in general and literature in particular to contribute to reconciliation, specifically on a cognitive level. Secondly, the thesis examines how studies and theories from Social Psychology can deepen the existing knowledge in Peace Research in regard to the potential of art to contribute to reconciliation. The thesis approaches reconciliation as a cognitive process to bring unity to conflicting narratives by reconstructing both group-related and individual narratives and, consequently, explores possible pathways through which art literature can contribute to this process. Thereby, the thesis identifies possible cognitive processes that could also run on an individual’s psychological level when confronted with an artistic product. An excerpt from Saša Stanišić’s novel How the Soldier Repairs the Gramophone illustrates the theoretical elaboration.
The findings of this study suggest that from a theoretical perspective, literary arts can function as a forceful means to support a cognitive change that is required to achieve sincere reconciliation between conflicting parties. From a social-psychological point of view, literature (1) can contribute to the rehumanisation of the other in the aftermath of a violent conflict; (2) can offer a means to engage and get acquainted with other narratives and can, consequently, contribute to the reconstruction of own narratives of the past; and (3) can increase the readiness for the acknowledgement of responsibility for ingroup misdeeds by lowering the negative consequences of prevailing victimhood narratives.
Following this, the thesis encourages to think peacebuilding and the arts more closely together and advocates for the inclusion of more artistic elements in traditional public as well as private peacebuilding initiatives.