Why do people fight along ethnic lines? How do scholars explain and study ethnic conflict? As the world continues to be shaken by ongoing ethnic conflicts, the College’s Intellectual Vitality Initiative brought students together for the fourth Books Open, Gates Unbarred, for an evening of interdisciplinary conversation with Government professor Melani Cammett and Psychology professor Mina Cikara. The subject was ethnic conflict and whether reconciliation is possible in its aftermath. 

Cammett and Cikara shared their intellectual journeys, how their personal experiences have shaped their scholarship, and how each of their disciplines approaches the question of ethnic conflict in unique ways. Cammett emphasized how difficult it is to get the genie of ethnic conflict back in the bottle after it’s been released, and how poorly understood the process of ratcheting down from ethnic conflict is. Cikara highlighted how social norms and the power of narratives were instrumental in preventing people from sharing their private, anti-violence sentiments out of a fear of social censure. 

The question of victimization was central to the discussion. As Cikara observed, almost anything appears morally justifiable if done in self-defense. Being the victim opens the door to actions that under normal circumstances would be considered morally reprehensible. The problem is that elites know this and exploit it to their own advantage.  

Cammett suggested that reconciliation, however difficult, demands recognition of others’ suffering. It requires people to step out of competitive victimization, which is a tall order after ethnic violence. And it takes a very long time.  

The 45-minute faculty discussion was followed by questions and dinner, where students were asked to reflect on how intellectual vitality was modeled in Cikara and Cammett’s conversation. Attendees included College students, Dean of Students Tom Dunne, Dean of Undergraduate Education Amanda Claybaugh, and Assistant Director of Pedagogy Matthew Sohm.