Transforming conflict into community: post‐war reconciliation in Croatia

Abstract

How can we support reconciliation and community building after violent conflict? This article describes a 5‐year project that brought together Serbs, Croats, and Muslims after the war in Croatia. Using the ideas and methods of Process Work (developed by Arnold Mindell), the authors facilitated large group processes that focused deeply on issues that continued to divide the country. Work with mistrust and symmetrical blaming led to connection. Work with trauma allowed people to go into and beyond the wounds of war. Work with issues of personal and collective accountability helped participants to transform their notions of responsibility, and therefore take fuller leadership in their communities. This project can be seen as a possible model for post‐conflict reconciliation efforts.