Who are Insider Reconcilers? A Qualitative Investigation of Local Peacebuilders Engaged in International Reconciliation Processes

Formal reconciliation processes often struggle to meet their aims due to a lack of ownership by the communities they seek to support. Insider reconcilers are individuals working to bring people together after violence has occurred who have connection to one or more parties in conflict and continue to live in the context following formal processes. While these individuals have a unique capacity to foster positive change through their deeper understanding of the conflict and existing trust built within the community, they face significant risks, notably being overlooked or disempowered by formal peace processes. Existing literature has explored insider-partials as a larger category, however, to date, no studies have directly connected with insider reconcilers to understand their experiences, insights, and challenges. To overcome this gap, I expanded an ongoing study I am involved in with the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation to connect with insider reconcilers to better understand this positionality in context of practitioner wellbeing and international reconciliation practice. Throughout this summer I a) conducted and transcribed three interviews, b) developed two participant profiles to highlight experiences and lessons learned on an online learning platform, c) critically reflected on personal travel, notably a fieldwork visit shadowing the Sami reconciliation process in Finland, and d) developed a policy brief offering recommendations on how policymakers and organizations can best support insider reconcilers. Some key lessons through this process include the need for trust-building prior to and within reconciliation processes and the need to offer support for insider reconcilers—especially technically, financially, and psychologically. In working to understand insider reconcilers, peacebuilding processes will be better able to champion insider reconcilers and their initiatives.

Keywords: reconciliation; peacebuilding; insider reconciler; insider partial

To better understand insider reconcilers, I had four key deliverables for my research. First to identify and interview three insider reconcilers and transcribe these conversations for further data analysis. Two, to develop participant profiles on insider reconcilers to highlight their experiences for an online learning platform. Three, to reflect on my travel over the past six months and put it in context of reconciliation practice and four, to develop a policy brief offering recommendations on how policymakers and organizations can better support insider reconcilers. I will now be diving into each of these deliverables in a little bit more detail.
During this summer I interviewed three participants, two virtually and one in-person. These interviews are semi-structured with a series of questions dedicated to three main sections. First their understanding of reconciliation, second their experiences of insider reconciliation, and finally wellbeing in reconciliation practice. After conducting these interviews, I completed transcriptions, touching-up auto-transcriptions generated by zoom and then formatting these transcriptions for data analysis.
Next, I developed two profiles of insider reconcilers which summarize their work, insights, and perspectives. These written profiles discuss key points identified in the interviews and include quotes from the insiders themselves. These profiles will be published on a public website primarily used by reconciliation scholars and practitioners to better inform peacebuilding practice and you can see below a quote from one of our insiders who speaks to the importance of breaking circles of violence through forgiveness and peaceful coexistence.
To compliment my research, I critically reflected upon my travel over the last six months. During the Spring Semester I studied abroad in Madrid, Spain and was able to visit nine other countries reflected in the map to the right. This experience allowed me to build cross cultural understanding which is critical to research and international reconciliation practice.
In May, I traveled to Northern Finland to shadow my mentor, Antti Pentikäinen, who leads the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation, as he worked with the Sami Indigenous community. During this time I had the opportunity to meet with community leaders involved in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Concerning Sami People and the Sami Psychosocial Support Unit. I was also able to interview two of my participants and visit relevant sites such as the Sami Parliament and Sidda Museum and Nature Center in which documents Sami heritage and culture.
Some key reflections on reconciliation processes following this visit include the necessity of evaluating and building trust for reconciliation processes to be successful, the importance of not oversimplifying a conflict context, a need to create a comprehensive processes for diverse stakeholders, needing to develop psychosocial support mechanisms, such as mental health resources and psychotherapy, tailored to the context to support both practitioners and stakeholders, and finally the potential of a hybridized positionality that bridges outsiders and insiders through a “distant insider” or “trusted outsider” positionality.
Finally, to implement the lessons learned from my research, analysis, and travel reflections, I am leading the creation of a policy brief offering recommendations to policy makers on how to best support insider reconcilers. While still in development with two of my colleagues at the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation, this document proposed the following preliminary recommendations. First, identifying insider reconcilers and building peer support networks. Second, financially committing to insider reconcilers and their initiatives. Third, integrating trauma healing mechanisms in reconciliation practice and finally, fully funding training for insider reconcilers.
Before I wrap up, I would like to thank OSCAR for this unique opportunity to pursue action-oriented research. Thank my mentor, Nicholas Sherwood, thank Antti Pentikäinen for allowing me to shadow him in Finland, and for insider reconcilers sharing their insights with me, and for all of my peers for their support. Following this summer program, I will continue interviewing insider reconcilers with the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation’s Transformation and Reconciliation Lab to develop official findings and offer actionable support mechanisms.
If you would like to learn more about this topic, I offer the following list of references. Thank you so much for listening and I hope together we can transition this from research to action!