Repairing the Effects of Threats to Ethnic Identity: Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Workshops in Liberia During the Civil War

Based on Action Research theory and praxis, this study examines the relational unbalance of Liberia's historical and socio-political development as it relates to threats to ethnic identity. Specific attention is given to threats to ethnic identity during Liberia's civil war and how trauma healing and reconciliation workshops helped in understanding and repairing these threats.

The study provides an analysis of the evolving relationship between the Americo-Liberian and indigenous communities and the factors that created divisions between them. Additionally, it examines the cleavages between indigenous ethnic groups and how these divisions were exacerbated by the civil crisis. An argument is made for explaining these divisions and related identity development and threats in
primordial and psychological terms, and as being created or influenced by real world situations.

Trauma healing and reconciliation workshops are explained in detail. Theoretical and practical explanations regarding loss and grief, mourning, prejudice and its reduction, forgiveness and reconciliation are made. Focus is on intra-personal and relational healing, with the emphasis on social relations as a primary value and source of identity. The study argues that when this primary value is threatened by the vissicitudes of war, it is trauma and the trauma healing process that often forces individuals to explore, psychologically and contextually, the self and group in new ways. Issues of identity and what threatens it are explained as a natural part of this exploratory process.

The study concludes with some recommendations for repairing the effects of threats to ethnic identity through trauma healing and reconciliation workshops and meetings in a specific context Questions are also raised regarding A plan is set out for the five ethnic groups of Liberia's Nimba County. This plan is shown to have implications for regional as well as national healing within and across ethnic boundaries. Further research and theory questions are included in this section