Social Media Narratives in Conflict Escalation and Reconciliation Processes: A Review

Abstract

The rapid growth of digital communication technologies has significantly reshaped the dynamics of conflict communication and peacebuilding processes across the world. Social media platforms have become central arenas where competing narratives about conflicts are constructed, disseminated, and contested by various actors including governments, activists, journalists, and citizens. These narratives influence public perceptions, mobilize political actors, and shape the trajectory of conflicts by either escalating tensions or facilitating reconciliation. This literature review examines the role of social media narratives in both conflict escalation and reconciliation processes. Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship from communication studies, political science, sociology, and peace studies, the review analyses how narrative framing, misinformation, algorithmic amplification, and identity-based discourse contribute to conflict intensification in digital environments. Simultaneously, it highlights emerging research on digital peacebuilding, narrative interventions, and online dialogue initiatives that utilize social media as tools for reconciliation and conflict transformation. Case studies from conflicts such as Syria, Israel–Palestine, and the Russia–Ukraine war demonstrate the complex and dual nature of social media in modern conflicts. While digital platforms can accelerate polarization and spread propaganda, they also offer new opportunities for cross-community engagement, documentation of human rights violations, and collaborative storytelling. The review concludes by identifying key challenges including misinformation, algorithmic bias, and digital inequality, and suggests directions for future research on the role of social media narratives in conflict transformation.