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How Group Narratives Fuel Mass Conflict

From Grievance to Violence: How Group Narratives Fuel Mass Conflict

Mass conflict rarely starts without warning. Often, it begins with shared grievances that build over time. These feelings grow into group narratives—stories that give meaning to people’s anger. When supported by local norms or social pressure, these narratives can push groups toward violence.

Understanding this process is key to preventing conflict. This article looks at how group narratives form, how they lead to action, and how early recognition can help stop violence before it starts.

What Are Group Narratives?

Group narratives are shared stories about who “we” are, what has been done to us, and why it matters. These stories can be based on facts, history, or beliefs. They are repeated in conversations, protests, social media, or community meetings.

These stories often include:

  • A clear group identity (us vs. them)

  • A shared grievance (something unfair or painful)

  • A call to action (what should be done)

These narratives shape how people feel and what they think is acceptable. They help explain problems and offer a path forward—even if that path includes violence.

From Grievance to Action: The Role of Narratives

Grievances alone do not cause mass violence. Many people feel angry or excluded without turning to conflict. But when these feelings are turned into shared stories that frame violence as necessary or justified, the risk increases.

For example:

  • A community with high unemployment may feel left behind. If a local leader claims another group is to blame, and violence is the only solution, this belief can spread.

  • Youth may feel ignored by leaders. If they hear that fighting back earns respect, they may act to prove their value.

Group narratives connect private anger with public action. They give people a reason to join, and a sense that they are not alone.

How Narratives Spread

Modern technology helps group narratives spread fast. Social media, messaging apps, and video platforms make it easy to share emotional messages. These tools also let groups avoid outside control or challenge.

Offline spaces also matter. Community centres, religious gatherings, and schools are places where stories are passed down. In areas with low trust in government or media, word of mouth carries more weight.

Shared trauma—such as a violent police raid or a public insult—can trigger rapid spread of a group narrative. These moments become symbols in the story. They are replayed again and again to fuel anger.

Signs of a Dangerous Narrative

Not all group narratives lead to violence. Some promote peace, justice, or change through dialogue. But when these elements appear, the risk of mass violence grows:

  • Dehumanisation: The other group is seen as less human.

  • Glorification of past violence: Stories celebrate attacks or uprisings.

  • Urgent tone: “We must act now or it will be too late.”

  • Silencing other views: Dissent is seen as betrayal.

  • Moral framing: The conflict is between good and evil.

When these signs appear, narratives can become tools for recruitment, control, and attack.

Real-World Examples

The Rwandan Genocide

Hate radio broadcasts told stories that Hutu people were under attack. These messages repeated false claims about Tutsi plans and called for “defensive” action. This narrative helped turn fear into mass killing.

Northern Ireland

During the Troubles, group narratives framed each side as victims of injustice. These stories helped justify attacks and kept communities apart for decades.

Social Unrest in the Balkans

After Yugoslavia broke apart, leaders used old ethnic grievances to build support. These stories highlighted past harms and demanded revenge.

What Can Be Done?

Monitor Local Conversations

Early warning starts by listening to what groups are saying. This includes social media, community meetings, and local media. Tools such as natural language processing (NLP) can scan large volumes of speech to detect rising hostility.

Engage Trusted Messengers

Community leaders, teachers, or religious figures can help challenge harmful narratives. They can offer other stories—ones that promote respect, peace, and unity.

Create Spaces for Dialogue

Giving groups a place to express grievances, feel heard, and talk across divisions reduces the need to turn anger into violence. These can be formal or informal, online or offline.

Support Counter-Narratives

Offer stories that show successful cooperation, peacebuilding, or justice. These stories help reduce fear and give people another way to act.

The Role of Policy and Research

The EU and many NGOs now include narrative analysis in conflict work. Programmes that aim to stop radicalisation or promote peace often start by asking, “What story is this group telling?”

EU-funded projects also work with communities to build new narratives—ones that support inclusion and reduce division.

For example, in parts of Eastern Europe, initiatives have helped young people share stories of common struggles, not just ethnic difference. This has built links between groups that once saw each other as threats.

Grievances matter. But how they are framed, shared, and repeated is what shapes action. Group narratives are powerful tools. They can help build peace—or spark violence.

If we understand how these stories form and spread, we can respond earlier. We can offer better stories—ones that lead not to fear and hate, but to hope and cooperation.

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