Storytelling by war victims as a mechanism of counteracting competitive victimhood and ethnic stereotypes in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Abstract
Competitive victimhood is a new concept (Noor et al. 2008). It describes the situation in which both sides of a conflict think they are its greatest victims.
This prevents conflict resolution and reconciliation. In Bosnia, three versions of truth about the war still compete against each other and also disputes about the death toll continue.
Many people in each of the three nations are convinced that their nation is the greatest victim of the war, which impacts political, social and economical life and prevents the country from progressing. A truth commission that would unite the narratives has never been founded.
The suffering of other parties is overlooked or denied and alternative information is not listened or paid attention to by ordinary Bosnians. A rare truth-telling initiative that seems to change attitudes is the initiative ""My Story"" run by two NGOs.
A group of 30 victims trained in reconciliation speaks publicly about the suffering and how the war impacted their life. The format always includes at least one speaker from each nation.
This research has proven that the speakings invoke a strong emotional and cognitive empathy in the listeners so that the information is taken seriously. This can break convictions that one's in-group is the greatest victim of the war and raise the willingness to get alternative information about the out-group.
Also, the empathy can break down prejudice, lead to a positive attitude change and induce willingness for reconciliation and for interethnic contact.