Throughout recorded history, humanity has inflicted horrors on itself. Attempts to end these brutal conflicts usually involved a lot of violence; problem solving involved a “head-on” approach. We'd like to think we're better than that today, but you only need to look at the headlines to see that human behavior hasn't progressed much since the Middle Ages. Nevertheless, there has been a positive development in modern problem solving, which Pruitt and Kim (2004) call “reconciliation” (p. 218). Simply put, it is the process of repairing a relationship. The importance of this theory cannot be underestimated. Reconciling divided people and societies is essential to preventing the resurgence of violence and building long-term sustainable peace (Sustainable Reconciliation, 2013). If people do not reconcile, conflicts will continue to arise time and time again. Pruitt and Kim (2004) argue that there is consensus among theorists that two conditions are necessary for reconciliation to be effective and lasting. The first requirement is that the parties must face the sufferings of the past and develop a common future together. The second requirement is that there should be at least the following set of elements: truth, forgiveness, justice, and peace (p. 218). In my further reading on the subject, I have found that there is certainly consensus regarding the first requirement. As for the second requirement, I argue that the authors base some of their arguments on several unsupported assumptions. Pruitt and Kim (2004) assume that there is a consensus [emphasis added] among theorists that truth, forgiveness, justice, and peace must [emphasis added]... ... middle of document ......ation. In D. Bloomfield, T. Barnes, & L. Huyse (Eds.), Reconciliation after violent conflict: A handbook (pp. 19–39). Retrieved from http://www.idea.int/publications/reconciliation/loader.cfm?csmodule=security/getfile&pageid=5766 Pruitt, DG and Kim, SH (2004). Social conflicts and collective identities. (pp. 218-225). New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Schaar, J. & Nordström, L. Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Humanitarian Assistance and Conflict Management Division. (2003). Reconciliation - theory and practice for development cooperation (SIDA2982en). Retrieved from SIDA website: http://www.uu.se/digitalAssets/17/17054_SIDA2982en_ReconWEB_brouneus.pdfSustainable reconciliation. (January 16, 2013). International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International Idea). Retrieved from http://www.idea.int/conflict/sr/