ABSTRACT
The history of negative intergroup relations and group conflict is long and can fill many books, as is the research on the topic of how to improve intergroup relations (Aboud & Levy, 2000; Stephan, Renfro, & Stephan, 2004b; Stephan & Stephan, 2001; Stephan & Vogt, 2004). This whole volume covers this topic in one way or the other. Looking at the abundance of research on the negative outcomes of intergroup relations, one is tempted to ask whether improvement is possible at all. Interestingly, most of the research addressing this field is preoccupied with the reduction of something negative; that is, discrimination, prejudice, outgroup derogation, or ingroup favoritism. We have pointed to this strikingly one-sided perspective elsewhere (Jonas & Mummendey, 2008), by revealing the potential to generate and maintain something positive in intergroup relations, such as intergroup help or support. In line with Pettigrew (1996) we posit that the reduction or elimination of “negative” intergroup relations is not equal to the establishment of “positive” relations. Similarly, intergroup tolerance, a term often used in juxtaposition to intergroup discrimination, is not dealing with the reduction of negative intergroup relations per se, but instead with the maintenance and the cherishing of the difference. Thus, given the establishment of positive intergroup relations, intergroup tolerance may not be necessary at all. As we reveal later, (intergroup) tolerance is in demand when the other (outgroup) is not evaluated positively or in accordance with one’s own standards, but when this deviance is being judged as acceptable and worth being maintained. Therefore treatments to enhance intergroup tolerance must be conceptually different (and must have different goals) than treatments to reduce negative attitudes in intergroup relations, or to enhance positive attitudes in intergroup relations. This chapter seeks to critically review intergroup relations, interventions models, and treatments. To disentangle concepts we seek to establish a conceptualization of intergroup tolerance and a subsequent differentiation of treatment goals. From this we identify a lack of thoroughly developed treatments and, therefore, in the final part of the chapter, we systematize treatment development to close this gap.
