How conflict resolution workers in Northern Ireland engage with the violent past

What is it about?

Memories of past violence are a significant barrier to peace-making between groups, especially because most people show a strong bias towards remembering the suffering of their own group while minimising or ignoring the suffering caused to other groups. This article outlines how conflict resolution practitioners in Northern Ireland think about the violent past in an inclusive and balanced way, and how drawing on this understanding of the past provides a resource for their work with others .

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Why is it important?

Conflict-affected societies like Northern Ireland can really struggle to move beyond the legacies of violence into a more peaceful pattern of interaction between groups. This article shares research with exceptional individuals who have grown up amidst violent conflict in Northern Ireland but who have developed an inclusive way of looking at the past violence that motivates them to work towards conflict resolution. This can provide a model for peacebuilders who want to encourage more forgiving attitudes between groups in societies that have seen extensive political violence.