Influence of Reflection in Conflict: Analysis of Selected Ndebele Cases, Zimbabwe

Abstract

The research explored how reflection may serve to renew and drive emotions in a long aggrieved people. The qualitative study following a case centred approach employed two cases from Manicaland and Matebeleland provinces which involved participants expressing emotions. Verbal reports from the participants were transcribed using Conversation Analysis (CA) which helped assess interaction between the parties in the selected cases. The study established that reflection drives ethnic and political perceptions to an extent that there are hidden hostilities within some communities. It established that reflection driven by emotions and hostility is more dangerous than that influenced by the desire to nurture a cause and celebrate an event or activity. It is concluded that the inter-ethnic latent conflict needs formal acknowledgement in-order to heal the wounds and that reflection zooms the past incredibly and politically dangerous.

Keywords: Reflection, conflict, ethnicity, acknowledgement, remembrance, peace.