A Quantitative Exploration of Reconciliation: Evidence from Colombia

Eliana Sanandres Campis (), Ivonne Molinares-Guerrero, Roberto González Arana and Melissa Martínez Pérez
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Eliana Sanandres Campis: Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of History and Social Sciences, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla 080001, Colombia
Ivonne Molinares-Guerrero: Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of History and Social Sciences, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla 080001, Colombia
Roberto González Arana: Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of History and Social Sciences, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla 080001, Colombia
Melissa Martínez Pérez: Social Development, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla 080001, Colombia

Social Sciences, 2022, vol. 11, issue 10, 1-10

Abstract: The reconciliation of societies in negotiated transitions from civil war to peace represents a practical challenge. While the political dimension concerns the construction of socio-political relations, the interpersonal dimension focuses on intergroup relationships. Empirical evidence shows that reconciliation should not assign primacy to one dimension over another; rather, it should address the interaction between them. However, research on this topic is scarce. There is a need to develop an instrument to assess the political and interpersonal dimensions of reconciliation in peacebuilding contexts. This study developed the Political and Interpersonal Reconciliation Scale (PIRS) and assessed its psychometric properties based on a sample of Colombian population after the peace agreement between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrilla group. The results show the validity of a factorial structure for two components as well as an acceptable Cronbach’s alpha. Concerning external validity, in line with the existing literature, the scale under study was positively related to confidence in the peace agreement, trust in the ex-combatants, willingness to share with the adversary and community identification. This study provides evidence that the Political and Interpersonal Reconciliation Scale is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating reconciliation in peacebuilding contexts.

Keywords: reconciliation; peacebuilding; conflict; measurement; Colombia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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