Event Review

Jena Center for Reconciliation Studies (JCRS) Friedrich Schiller University Jena

November 24–27, 2025

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Programm der Veranstaltung herunterladen: 1st Reconciliation Weekpdf, 2 mb · de

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In November 2025, Friedrich Schiller University Jena hosted the inaugural Reconciliation Week, an international gathering organized by the Jena Center for Reconciliation Studies (JCRS). The event convened scholars and practitioners from an expanding international research network working across multiple disciplines to examine manifold challenges surrounding reconciliation in contemporary societies. Against the backdrop of ongoing armed conflicts, deepening political polarization, and contested historical memories, reconciliation has emerged as a key concept in both academic research and public debate for understanding the aftermath of historical violence. Reconciliation Week addressed this issue by fostering interdisciplinary dialogue on the conditions under which better relations become possible, the obstacles that hinder it, and the forms they may take in diverse social and cultural contexts. By bringing together perspectives from social psychology, religious studies, digital humanities, philosophy, and peace and conflict research, the conference reflected the increasingly interdisciplinary character of reconciliation studies as a rapidly developing field of scholarship. A central focus of the event was “Social Psychologists in Israel on Reconciliation,” which brought together leading scholars whose research has significantly shaped the contemporary social-psychological study of conflict and reconciliation. Their contributions highlighted how collective emotions, intergroup perceptions, and institutional conditions influence the possibility of reconciliation in societies marked by long-standing hostilities.

The conference started with welcoming remarks by Prof. Dr. Martin Leiner, Director of the JCRS, together with Prof. Dr. Bärbel Kracke and Jun. Prof. Dr. Sarah Jäger. The opening keynote lecture by Prof. Dr. Daniel Bar-Tal addressed the relationship between societal brutalization and the prospects for reconciliation in protracted conflicts. Further contributions from leading social psychologists and experts of interreligious peace-making – Including Prof. Dr. Boaz Hameiri and Prof. Dr. Marc Gopin – examined psychological interventions in intergroup conflicts and the role of compassion and empathy in sustaining or transforming conflict dynamics. In the afternoon, the conference hosted a meeting of the European Center for Reconciliation Research (ECRR), where participants discussed future research priorities for reconciliation studies in Europe. Participants decided to prepare a larger series of conferences based on the ground-breaking work of Prof. Lily Gardner-Feldman on Germany’s foreign policy of reconciliation during the 2^nd reconciliation week which will take place from November 30^th to December 3^rd 2026. The first day concluded with the inauguration of the sixth research pillar of the JCRS, “Religious and Interreligious Reconciliation and Peace.” The event featured remarks by Prof. Dr. Dr. Bertram Schmitz, and Prof. Dr. Martin Leiner, followed by a presentation by Dr. Josef Boehle on the significance of religious and interreligious reconciliation. The evening program also included the first Sant’Egidio Lecture, delivered by Dr. Cesare Zucconi, who reflected on the role of religious actors in promoting peace initiatives in times of war. The lecture included a strong warning about the risks of wars.

The second day focused on emerging methodological developments and technological transformations shaping reconciliation research. Prof. Dr. Sander Münster introduced the cross-cutting research area Digital Reconciliation and Digital Reconciliation Studies, highlighting the potential of digital infrastructures and digital humanities projects for reconciliation processes. Complementing this perspective, Dr. Iyad AlDajani examined the role of artificial intelligence in public policy and reconciliation. Martin Leiner spoke about the digital revolution and the opportunities it can provide for both practicing reconciliation and for studying reconciliation. The program also included an alumni session featuring Dr. Güneş Daşlı, Dr. Attila Nagy, Dr. Luis Peña, Dr. Carolina Rehrmann, and Dr. Shota Shvelidze, who reflected on how reconciliation research informs professional trajectories in academia, international organizations, and policy environments. During the afternoon session, Benjamin Gurstein presented reflections on how his intellectual journey evolved during his time in Jena, highlighting the formative role of interdisciplinary dialogue in shaping reconciliation research.

The third day hosted the Fourth Conference of the Martin Buber Forschungsstelle, with the title “Between East and West” and curated and presented by Claudio Lasperanza and Dr. Francesco Ferrari. The conference explored the relevance of Buber’s dialogical philosophy for contemporary debates on relational ethics and reconciliation. Contributions by Prof. Dr. Fumio Ono examined intersections between Buber’s philosophy and Japanese thought, while Dr. Francesco Ferrari discussed Buber’s writings on Taoism and intercultural philosophy. Prof. Dr. Toshihiro Horikawa further explored Buber’s interpretation of biblical reconciliation. By situating Buber’s philosophy within a broader intercultural framework, the discussions highlighted the enduring significance of dialogical thought for understanding the philosophical foundations of reconciliation. Later sessions expanded the focus toward applied perspectives on reconciliation. Dr. Davide Tacchini discussed migration and reconciliation in contemporary Europe, emphasizing intercultural facilitation as a tool for preventing social conflicts. The program also included a video dossier on the Colombian initiative Satoyama for Peace: Ecosystems for Peace and Reconciliation (S4P:EPR) presented by Dr. Laura Villanueva, followed by presentations by Dr. Hajime Onozaka, Dr. Wataru Sanada, and Viet-Du Nguyen on international cooperation in reconciliation initiatives.

The final day addressed narrative and cultural dimensions of reconciliation. A joint lecture by Prof. Dr. Yaara Bar-On and Shahira Fakher reflected on reconciliation after the pioneering work of Dan Bar-On, emphasizing the importance of listening, vulnerability, and narrative encounters in processes of conflict transformation. Dr. Yossi Pepe Goldman examined partnerships between parties in conflict as both strategic instruments and potential models for coexistence. The conference concluded with a keynote reflection by Prof. Dr. Arie Nadler, who examined the dynamics of intergroup reconciliation in post-conflict societies and the challenge posed by competing victimhood narratives.

1^st Reconciliation Week demonstrated the growing importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing the conceptual and practical challenges of reconciliation. By bringing together theoretical reflection, empirical research, and practical perspectives, the conference strengthened international networks and contributed to shaping the evolving research agenda of reconciliation studies. Following the conference, participants continued these discussions through engagement with the German-speaking network on Reconciliation Studies, including participation in the subsequent meeting at the Bonner Zentrum für Versöhnungsforschung, thereby extending the dialogue initiated in Jena to a broader European research context. Through its research initiatives and international collaborations, the Jena Center for Reconciliation Studies continues to develop as one of the leading platforms for interdisciplinary research on reconciliation worldwide, bringing together scholars from an expanding international research network working on multilayered dimensions of conflict, peace and reconciliation in contemporary societies.