ABSTRACT
Civil wars create trauma at the individual and communal level. At the individual level, trauma needs to be healed; at the communal level, traumatized groups must reconcile. Relying on Milner’s theory of status relations and common themes presented in this volume, this chapter explores the role of status relations in the complex processes of individual healing and group reconciliation. At the individual level, healing is facilitated by in-group solidarity that promotes a sense of togetherness and empowerment. Yet, solidarity fosters an inward focus and in-group identity that often relies on “othering” one’s enemies. This “othering,” while promoting solidarity, intensifies the inter-group conflict that led to the war, and this process is complicated by the inexpansible nature of status that intensifies the importance of group membership. Thus the nature of status relations contribute to the in-group solidarity that help individuals heal while creating barriers for inter-group reconciliation.
