Tolerance

By
Sarah Peterson

July 2003


What is Tolerance?
Tolerance is the appreciation of diversity and the ability to live
and let others live. It is the ability to exercise a fair and objective
attitude towards those whose opinions, practices, religion,
nationality and so on differ from one's own.[1] As William Ury
notes, "tolerance is not just agreeing with one another or
remaining indifferent in the face of injustice, but rather showing
respect for the essential humanity in every person."[2]
Intolerance is the failure to appreciate and respect the practices,
opinions and beliefs of another group. For instance, there is a
high degree of intolerance between Israeli Jews and Palestinians
who are at odds over issues of identity, security, self-
determination, statehood, the right of return for refugees, the
status of Jerusalem and many other issues. The result is
continuing inter-group violence.
Why Does Tolerance Matter?
At a post-9/11 conference on multiculturalism in the United
States, participants asked, "How can we be tolerant of those who
are intolerant of us?"[3] For many, tolerating intolerance is
neither acceptable nor possible.
Though tolerance may seem an impossible exercise in certain
situations -- as illustrated by Hobbes in the introductory caption
to this essay -- being tolerant nonetheless remains key to easing
hostile tensions between groups and to helping communities
move past intractable conflict. That is because tolerance is
integral to different groups relating to one another in a respectful
and understanding way. In cases where communities have been
deeply entrenched in violent conflict, being tolerant helps the affected groups endure the pain of
the past and resolve their differences. In Rwanda, the Hutus and the Tutsis have tolerated
a reconciliation process, which has helped them to work through their anger and resentment
towards one another.

Hobbes: "How are you doing
on your New Year's
resolutions?"

Calvin: "I didn't make any.
See, in order to improve
oneself, one must have some
idea of what's 'good.' That
implies certain values. But as
we all know, values are
relative. Every system of belief
is equally valid and we need
to tolerate diversity. Virtue
isn't 'better' than vice. It's just
different."

Hobbes: "I don't know if I can
tolerate that much tolerance."

Calvin: "I refuse to be
victimized by notions of
virtuous behavior."

-- A Bill Watterson cartoon
shows Calvin and Hobbes
walking through the snow.

The Origins of Intolerance
In situations where conditions are economically depressed and
politically charged, groups and individuals may find it hard to
tolerate those that are different from them or have caused them
harm. In such cases, discrimination, dehumanization, repression,
and violence may occur. This can be seen in the context of
Kosovo, where Kosovar Alabanians, grappling with poverty and
unemployment, needed a scapegoat, and supported an aggressive
Serbian attack against neighboring Bosnian Muslim and Croatian
neighbors.
The Consequences of Intolerance
Intolerance will drive groups apart, creating a sense of permanent separation between them. For
example, though the laws of apartheid in South Africa were abolished nine years ago, there still
exists a noticeable level of personal separation between black and white South Africans, as
evidenced in studies on the levels of perceived social distance between the two groups.[4] This
continued racial division perpetuates the problems of inter-group resentment and hostility.
How is Intolerance Perpetuated?
Between Individuals: In the absence of their own experiences, individuals base their
impressions and opinions of one another on assumptions. These assumptions can be influenced
by the positive or negative beliefs of those who are either closest or most influential in their
lives, including parents or other family members, colleagues, educators, and/or role models.
In the Media: Individual attitudes are influenced by the images of other groups in the media and
the press. For instance, many Serbian communities believed that the western media portrayed a
negative image of the Serbian people during the NATO bombing in Kosovo and Serbia.[5] This
de-humanization may have contributed to the West's willingness to bomb Serbia. However, there
are studies that suggest media images may not influence individuals in all cases. For example, a
study conducted on stereotypes discovered people of specific towns in southeastern Australia did
not agree with the negative stereotypes of Muslims presented in the media.[6]
In Education: There exists school curriculum and educational literature that provide biased
and/or negative historical accounts of world cultures. Education or schooling based on myths can
demonize and dehumanize other cultures rather than promote cultural understanding and a
tolerance for diversity and differences.
What Can Be Done to Deal with Intolerance?
To encourage tolerance, parties to a conflict and third parties must remind themselves and others
that tolerating tolerance is preferable to tolerating intolerance. Following are some useful
strategies that may be used as tools to promote tolerance.
Inter-Group Contact: There is evidence that casual inter-group contact does not necessarily
reduce inter-group tensions, and may in fact exacerbate existing animosities. However, through
intimate inter-group contact, groups will base their opinions of one another on personal
experiences, which can reduce prejudices. Intimate inter-group contact should be sustained over

Angela
Khaminwa emphasizes the
flexibility of meanings of the
concept "coexistence."
a week or longer in order for it to be effective.[7]
In Dialogue: To enhance communication between both sides, dialogue mechanisms such
as dialogue groups or problem solving workshops provide opportunities for both sides to express
their needs and interests. In such cases, actors engaged in the workshops or similar forums feel
their concerns have been heard and recognized. Restorative justice programs such as victim-
offender mediation provide this kind of opportunity. For instance, through victim-offender
mediation, victims can ask for an apology from the offender.[8]
What Individuals Can Do
Individuals should continually focus on being tolerant of others in their daily lives. This involves
consciously challenging the stereotypes and assumptions that they typically encounter in making
decisions about others and/or working with others either in a social or a professional
environment.
What the Media Can Do
The media should use positive images to promote understanding and cultural sensitivity. The
more groups and individuals are exposed to positive media messages about other cultures, the
less they are likely to find faults with one another -- particularly those communities who have
little access to the outside world and are susceptible to what the media tells them. See the section
on stereotypes in this volume to learn more about how the media perpetuate negative images of
different groups.
What the Educational System Can Do
Educators are instrumental in promoting tolerance and peaceful coexistence. For instance,
schools that create a tolerant environment help young people respect and understand different
cultures. In Israel, an Arab and Israeli community called Neve Shalom or Wahat Al-Salam
("Oasis of Peace") created a school designed to support inter-cultural understanding by providing
children between the first and sixth grades the opportunity to learn and grow together in a
tolerant environment.[9]
What Other Third Parties Can Do
Conflict transformation NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and other actors in the field
of peacebuilding can offer mechanisms such as trainings to help parties to a conflict
communicate with one another. For instance, several organizations have launched a series of
projects in Macedonia that aim to reduce tensions between the country's Albanian, Romani and
Macedonian populations, including activities that promote democracy, ethnic tolerance, and
respect for human rights.[10]
International organizations need to find ways to enshrine the principles of tolerance in policy.
For instance, the United Nations has already created The Declaration of Moral Principles on
Tolerance, adopted and signed in Paris by UNESCO's 185 member states on Nov. 16, 1995,
which qualifies tolerance as a moral, political, and legal requirement for individuals, groups, and
states.[11]
Governments also should aim to institutionalize policies of tolerance. For example, in South
Africa, the Education Ministry has advocated the integration of a public school tolerance
curriculum into the classroom; the curriculum promotes a holistic approach to learning. The
United States government has recognized one week a year as international education week,
encouraging schools, organizations, institutions, and individuals to engage in projects and
exchanges to heighten global awareness of cultural differences.
The Diaspora community can also play an important role in promoting and sustaining tolerance.
They can provide resources to ease tensions and affect institutional policies in a positive way.
For example, Jewish, Irish, and Islamic communities have contributed to the peacebuilding effort
within their places of origin from their places of residence in the United States. [12]

[1] The American Heritage Dictionary (New York: Dell Publishing, 1994).
[2] William Ury, Getting To Peace (New York: The Penguin Group, 1999), 127.
[3] As identified by Serge Schmemann, a New York Times columnist noted in his piece of Dec.
29, 2002, in The New York Times entitled "The Burden of Tolerance in a World of Division" that
tolerance is a burden rather than a blessing in today's society.
[4] Jannie Malan, "From Exclusive Aversion to Inclusive Coexistence," Short Paper, African
Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), Conference on Coexistence
Community Consultations, Durban, South Africa, January 2003, 6.
[5] As noted by Susan Sachs, a New York Times columnist in her piece of Dec. 16, 2001, in The
New York Times entitled "In One Muslim Land, an Effort to Enforce Lessons of Tolerance."
[6] Amber Hague, "Attitudes of high school students and teachers towards Muslims and Islam in
a southeaster Australian community,"Intercultural Education 2 (2001): 185-196.
[7] Yehuda Amir, "Contact Hypothesis in Ethnic Relations," in Weiner, Eugene, eds. The
Handbook of Interethnic Coexistence (New York: The Continuing Publishing Company, 2000),
162-181.
[8] The Ukrainian Centre for Common Ground has launched a successful restorative justice
project. Information available on-line atwww.sfcg.org.
[9] Neve Shalom homepage [on-line]; available at www.nswas.com; Internet.
[10] Lessons in Tolerance after Conflict. http://www.beyondintractability.org/library/external-
resource?biblio=9997
[11] "A Global Quest for Tolerance" [article on-line] (UNESCO, 1995, accessed 11 February
2003); available athttp://www.unesco.org/new/en/social-and-human-sciences/themes/fight-
against-discrimination/promoting-tolerance/; Internet.
[12] Louis Kriesberg, "Coexistence and the Reconciliation of Communal Conflicts." In Weiner,
Eugene, eds. The Handbook of Interethnic Coexistence (New York: The Continuing Publishing
Company, 2000), 182-198.

Use the following to cite this article:
Peterson, Sarah. "Tolerance." Beyond Intractability. Eds. Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess.
Conflict Information Consortium, University of Colorado, Boulder. Posted: July 2003
<http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/tolerance>.

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