"Changing Identity - Belligerents Transformation towards Reconciliation"

The thesis aims to investigate why and under what conditions former belligerents change their identity and are able to reconcile with each other in the post-conflict situation. By identity change I mean the process by which belligerents transform their conflictive identities towards peaceful ones. By doing so belligerents are able to accept and respect the others identity. This may lead to a process of reconciliation that changes the destructive attitudes and behaviour of the belligerents.

First and foremost its relevance derives from the thought that a positive process of reconciliation between belligerents strengthens the stability and sustainability of peace. That means it affects the stability and success of the political and legal system, as well as societal development as a whole. By learning how and under what conditions this development is possible, contributes to our knowledge how peace processes become sustainable.

The thesis combines theories on identity and reconciliation to describe and understand the process of changing group identities and its effect on reconciliation.

The MA thesis is written at the Department of Peace and Conflict Researchat Uppsala University and supervised by Prof. Peter Wallensteen. The project is supported through a student scholarship by the International Peace Research Institute in Oslo (PRIO) and co-supervised by Inger Skjelsbaek.