ABSTRACT
Hope is an emotion focused on imagining and desiring a better future, which has been described as crucial for human survival in difficult situations and inducing goal-oriented behaviour. By inspiring thoughts and imagery about a positive future goal, change becomes more possible, making hope a pivotal emotion in processes of social change. In conflict, a plethora of work shows that hope facilitates intergroup harmony and induces conciliatory attitudes that are crucial for mobilizing and supporting conflict resolution. In processes of collective action, a more complex picture emerges. Here, hope for change has been found to be a condition necessary for the emergence of collective action motivation and intentions. On the other hand, hope may hinder such motivations under certain conditions and in specific contexts. Overall, it is important to understand, and perhaps harness the power of hope in processes of social change.
