How to reconnect different small worlds: Deconstructing the past that divides,pursuing a future that unites

Abstract

Violence associated with religion is prevalent globally. Informed by the concept of small world, in which people learn about beliefs and values to judge what information is relevant to them, this study investigates how information sharing helps a religiously polarized society depolarize after a series of violence. Based on 54 interviews and participant observations in Ambon, Indonesia, this study found that, after the violence ended, deconstructing fear of the other religious community conditioned the Ambonese to rethink the relevance of living in the small world. As one community managed to meaningfully interact with the other, opportunities for exchanging views and rebuilding relationships emerged. Re-establishing common values enabled the disparate communities to unite as a society for the sake of their collective future. These findings broadly offer insights as to how to reconcile differences in competing small worlds, especially where religion is an imminent threat to social cohesion.