The path to forgiveness in post-genocide Rwanda: On the roles of other character constructs

We examined forgiveness from a dynamic, relational developmental systems perspective by identifying associated character constructs at the person (forgiver) and contextual levels and the character outcomes of forgiveness, as well as how these constructs are configured in person-specific ways across individuals. We conducted interviews with 15 exemplars nominated for their capacity to forgive following the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and used conventional content analysis within a phenomenological framework to identify themes and subthemes. At the person level, forgiveness was associated with character constructs such as compassion and hope; at the contextual level, with character constructs such as justice and honesty, and linked to character outcomes such as peace. Comparative analyses of coding charts across exemplars revealed that forgiveness was characterized by specific configurations of associated character constructs, rather than a uniform pattern across individuals. These findings highlight the importance of both holism and specificity in person <=> context the bidirectional coactions for understanding forgiveness.