Description
Why do some people choose violence? And can socio-political changes, implemented through force, lead to peace and justice? These questions rise from observing that despite continuous effort, violent conflicts persist; peace agreements keep falling apart; and, most recently, a ‘new’ wave of violence seems to be affecting areas that have been mostly peaceful for a long time. Being a key element in society, some studies in conflict have highlighted the need to focus more on researching social relations and how they are constructed and (re)produced to advance our understanding of how and why conflict and violence emerge. Therefore, following from these remarks and to start exploring the two questions above, this paper examines the reconciliation processes between some former violent perpetrators and a group of victims, which began in Italy in the late 2000s. This is a case of political violence. Between the late 1960s and the mid-1980s, Italy experienced systemic political violence from both far-Left and far-Right organisations. Using narrative analysis and engaging with socio-psychological literature, this study examines how a violent choice can stem from specific ways of conceiving and practicing social relations. Ultimately, it provides thought-provoking intuitions on the concepts of conflict, violence, peace, and justice.
