Trust as a Compromise Mediator in Northern Ireland’s Victim Support Groups

Abstract

Trust is an extremely difficult social practice for deeply divided societies and those emerging from conflict. It is, however, a necessary practice for building relationships between former enemies and developing social cohesion in post-conflict settings. Where social trust can be developed between different identity groups, social capital and better community relations may result. Northern Ireland’s victim support groups serve as a prime example of how trust acts as a compromise mediator in social networks of post-conflict societies. In this chapter, I demonstrate how trust acts both as a barrier and as a facilitator of building social capital and improving relationships between the two communities of Northern Ireland. Based on the findings from my study of victim support group leaders in Northern Ireland, I show how trust, as a compromise mediator, is practised in victim support groups. With the additional data from victims in Northern Ireland, I investigate whether victims and their leaders have similar attitudes toward social trust. Finally, I conclude with some observations about the relationship between trust and social capital in victim groups.