“Listen and I tell you something”: Storytelling and social action in the healing of the oppressed

Abstract

The process of healing from life under a military dictatorship is slow and arduous. Reviving one's sense of self when the peace has been shattered; articulating vision and purpose in a culture and a community polarized and divided, requires both a connection to the spiritual and an outlet for direct action. In both cases it is necessary to reclaim ones’ voice and to find others who will listen with the commitment to receive and understand. In this article, the words of citizens of Argentina and Chile are presented to illustrate the experience of those who lived in violence and how they are managing to heal.