How morality threat promotes reconciliation in separatist conflict: A majority group perspective

Ali Mashuri*, Esther van Leeuwen, Fattah Hanurawan

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

We examined how the perception that separatist groups threaten the majority’s moral identity impacts the latter group’s support for reconciliation in separatist conflict. Two studies were conducted in Indonesia, where separatist conflict is rife. Javanese students (representing the nonseparatist majority) responded surveys regarding separatist conflicts in Aceh (Study 1, N = 679) or West Papua (Study 2, N = 500). As expected, perceived threat to the majority’s moral identity increased this particular group’s reconciliatory attitudes (Study 1), emotions, and behaviours (Study 2), through increased compensatory needs for social acceptance and restoration of moral image. These findings underline the importance of moral identity dynamics in separatist conflict. Moreover, they reveal that the majority, despite its dominant position, can experience morality threat from separatist groups which can foster positive attitudes towards the reconciliation process.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)913-930
Number of pages18
JournalGroup Processes and Intergroup Relations
Volume21
Issue number6
Early online date25 Nov 2016
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Sept 2018

Keywords

  • dominance
  • morality threat
  • reconciliation
  • separatist conflict

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