Approaches to Reconciliation in Conflict-Affected Societies

This review profiles initiatives that seek to foster intergroup contact; to change perceptions of the ‘other’ through perspective-taking/giving and stories of moral exemplars; and that incorporate art and memorialisation. Initiatives that foster meaningful contact in divided contexts have been linked with increased empathy and trust, changes in perceptions of outgroups, which in turn can pave the way for prosocial behaviours towards rival outgroups. For contact interventions to contribute to higher levels of reconciliation, encounters with a specific outgroup member must improve attitudes not only toward that individual but extend to the whole outgroup. In addition, positive effects need to extend beyond the direct participants to the broader community.