Social scholars suggest that the characteristics of the political reality as well as historical forces influence the individual’s psychology¹. In the context of conflict, Louie Zamperini et al. aptly state that enmification processes can significantly contribute to the understanding of how unrelenting mutual enmity in inter-group conflicts become so tenaciously engrained within individual identities². Notwithstanding, […]
Category: Social Sciences Page 1 of 2
The extent to which we value the dynamics of how we socially interact tells a great deal about our willingness to come to a greater understanding of our social interactions.
To define an enemy image, psychosocial and conflict scholar Louis Oppenheimer leans on political scientist Janice Gross Stein. He describes it as “a set of beliefs or assumptions about an individual or a group and is considered a natural reaction to the process of identity formation by individuals and groups”¹. In addition, Oppenheimer recognizes that […]
From the perspective of international relations theory, realists might argue that power mediation is more apt to settle intransigent conflicts. I oppose such views. Instead, I follow conflict scholars Loraleigh Keashly and Ronald Fisher in their reasoning that such coercive tactics indeed increase the parties’ resistance to resolution¹. To reach long-term solutions to protracted conflicts, […]
Neuroscience suggests that verbal knowledge and emotions are housed in separate areas within the brain¹. Because enemy images are mostly associated with negative emotions, negative stereotyping, prejudices, anger and hatred, this locational split in the brain partly accounts for biases in information-processing within the context of enemy imagery formation². What is more, psychosocial and conflict […]
This article aims to contribute to the theoretical discussion on socio-psychological approaches to conflict resolution. It explores what role psychotherapy can offer to conflict transformation of protracted conflicts. Recognizing the need for greater attention to socio-psychological aspects in conflict resolution methods, I participated in 2014 in a psychotherapy workshop, which introduced me to Jacob Levy […]