A cross-cultural examination of children's understanding of "the enemy"

Despite the apparent ease and regularity with which adults label individuals and groups as "the enemy," little is known regarding how children understand this concept. The current qualitative study examined the concept of enemy as understood by 105 3- to 12-yr.-old children from two sides of an international conflict--Yugoslavia and the United States. This article provides an analysis of the children's answers during a structured interview regarding their understanding of enemies, specifically the perceptions of children in a war zone and the perceptions of children living in relative safety. Children of all ages could discuss the concept of enemy. They described both interpersonal and group conflict. A common theme in both Yugoslavian and U.S. children's descriptions was that an enemy is someone who is bad or does bad things. The children recognized the importance of at least two "sides" and discussed reciprocal or mutual feelings. In general, the children showed great optimism that one's enemies can become one's friends. These findings are interpreted in terms of developmental issues and sociopolitical context.