Media framings of forgiveness and reconciliation in the context of the Colombian armed conflict

Abstract

Given its duration and intensity, the Colombian armed conflict can be analyzed as an intractable conflict. Intractability involves the development of an ethos of conflict (EOC), a set of social beliefs shared by most members of society, which is usually exhibited in media discourse. Using unidimensional and multidimensional lexicometry, this study describes how the EOC permeated the discourse of four of Colombia’s main means of communication (El Tiempo, El Espectador, Noticias Caracol, Noticias rcn), and, specifically, how the EOC characterized the framing of forgiveness and reconciliation during the peace process between the Colombian Government and the FaRC-Ep (2012-2017). The results suggest that the EOC in Colombia was transformed with the peace dialogues, probably fostering an orientation toward peace. Nevertheless, some of the beliefs of the EOC that contribute to intractability were also simultaneously present in media discourse.