Rethinking narrative intervention: The potential role of alternative narratives in interethnic reconciliation

Narrative intervention aims to support the achievement of reconciliation through practices that address the role of conflict narratives in shaping interethnic relations. Currently, narrative intervention practice is focused on changing endorsement of ethnocentric conflict narratives, but this article presents evidence that promoting adoption of alternative narratives, a distinct non-partisan framing of the conflict, could encourage greater engagement in reconciliation activities among a population affected by interethnic conflict. This is a new perspective on the capacity for conflict narratives to shape reconciliation outcomes as prior research has shown an association between conflict narrative endorsement and intergroup attitudes but the relationship with intergroup behavior is underexplored. We surveyed residents of Northern Ireland (n = 411) to assess how endorsement of ingroup and outgroup ethnocentric narratives and of an alternative narrative that acknowledges suffering and responsibility on both sides of the conflict relate to engagement in reconciliation activities. Multiple linear regression indicated endorsement of the alternative and outgroup narratives was positively associated with engagement in reconciliation activities. Parallel mediation analysis showed endorsement of the alternative narrative had a direct effect on engagement in reconciliation activities and an indirect effect through increased intergroup trust and decreased exclusive victimhood while outgroup narrative endorsement had only an indirect effect through increased intergroup trust. These findings suggest that if the field of narrative intervention incorporates new approaches that promote adoption of alternative narratives, this could encourage more widespread engagement in reconciliation activities and, by extension, increase the likelihood of achieving interethnic reconciliation at a societal level. • Alternative and outgroup narrative endorsement predicts reconciliatory behavior. • Narrative – behavior relationship mediated by trust and exclusive victimhood. • Existing approaches to narrative intervention neglect alternative narratives. • Promoting adoption of alternative narratives could support reconciliation.