Forgiveness, Intergroup

Memories of past events and confl icts often remain inextricably woven into the fabric of the present in the lives of both victims and perpetrators living in post- confl ict societies. Interpersonal forgiveness is important in the process of repairing the relationship between individuals previously in confl ict. An act of interpersonal forgiveness allows the victim to let go of their feelings of anger and hurt felt towards the perpetrator and, in essence, cancels the “ debt ” owed on the part of the perpetrator. The victim thereby gives up their right to revenge, which allows the victim and the perpetrator to work towards repairing their relationship. (See forgive-ness, interpersonal.) This understanding of interpersonal for-giveness can, in many ways, be extended to the realm of post- confl ict intergroup rela-tions. The concept of forgiveness between groups, or intergroup forgiveness, where “ I as a member of my group ” forgive “ them as a group ” for the harm that “ their group ” have caused “ me and/or my group ” has begun to gain momentum within the social psychological literature as an important psy-chological mechanism in the development of peace and reconciliation in post- confl ic