Abstract
Societal conflict is inevitable and often interminable. Societal conflicts are perpetuated by self-interest intended not to derive solutions that are acceptable for multiple stakeholders, but to procure resources and end states desired by the protagonists. One reason for this endless conflict is that people hold emotional grudges. Those grudges empower vengeful and avoidant motives. These motives are at the center of loss of peace, for both individuals and societies, and they often evolve into personal or cultural narratives that perpetuate hatred, suspicion, and incipient conflict.
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© 2016 Everett L. Worthington, Jr., Brandon J. Griffin, and Caroline R. Lavelock
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Worthington, E.L., Griffin, B.J., Lavelock, C.R. (2016). Forgiveness, Conflict, and Societal Change. In: Kong, D.T., Forsyth, D.R. (eds) Leading Through Conflict. Jepson Studies in Leadership. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-56677-5_9
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