Settler ideologies and their psychological reverberations: Jaiden Herkimer, Becky Choma, Leen Nasser, ‘Non-Indigenous Canadians’ Post-Colonial Ideologies, Allyship and Collective Guilt Predict Support for Reconciliation, Collective Action and Political Tolerance’, Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 2025 | settler colonial studies blog

Settler ideologies and their psychological reverberations: Jaiden Herkimer, Becky Choma, Leen Nasser, ‘Non-Indigenous Canadians’ Post-Colonial Ideologies, Allyship and Collective Guilt Predict Support for Reconciliation, Collective Action and Political Tolerance’, Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 2025

18Jan25

Abstract: Since the release of the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (2015) report and their 94 Calls to Action, there has been a push to advance truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in Canada. Much of the heavy lifting has been done by Indigenous peoples; but to comprehensively redress injustices there is a need for non-Indigenous support. In two studies with non-Indigenous Canadians (n=355; n=341), we investigated post-colonial ideologies (historical negation, symbolic exclusion), ally/supporter identity and collective guilt as predictors of support for reconciliation and Indigenous collective action movements, and political tolerance of Indigenous peoples. Consistent with hypotheses, higher post-colonial ideologies, lower ally/supporter identification and lower collective guilt related to less support and less political tolerance. Collective guilt emerged as a mediator for support for reconciliation and Indigenous collective action (except for symbolic exclusion in Study 1); but it moderated the relations for political tolerance. Collective guilt also moderated relations between symbolic exclusion and ally/supporter identity with support for reconciliation in Study 1. Future directions for advancing understanding of post colonial ideologies and possible applied interventions aimed at improving intergroup relations are discussed.

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