Culture Culture is understood in many varied ways. According to Brouneus (2003), culture is the rich and complex blend of beliefs, attitudes and behaviour regarding everything from food to art, to politics and religion in a given society. It shapes perception of the self and that of others and influences behaviour. Renowned French sociologist Emile Durkheim (1858–1917) posited that culture is an emergent web of representations holistically encompassing the deep-seated value, belief and symbolic systems that bind the individuals of a society inextricably to it and represent the whole of their reality. Others scholars, however, see culture as a loose-knit, semi-coherent ‘toolkit’ that people apply selectively and adaptively as coping strategies in navigating social life. Be that as it may, culture is dynamic and not static, so it can change. Cultural values should be at the centre of all community healing processes (see Module 2). Development The definition of ‘development’ is often highly contested. In many cases, therefore, definitions of this term are tailor-made to suit a particular context. According to Sen (1999), development is a process of expanding the freedoms that people enjoy. It involves removing barriers to freedom, such as poverty, tyranny, unaccountable government, lack of opportunity, systematic social deprivation, lack of functioning infrastructure, and repression. Development includes programmes that enable human beings to realise their potential, build self-confidence, and lead lives of dignity and fulfilment. It is a process that frees people from fear of want and exploitation. Moreover, it is a movement away from political, economic or social oppression. Through development, political independence acquires true significance. Lastly, it is a process of growth or movement essentially springing from within the society that is developing. Therefore, development basically involves people reaching their potential in all spheres of their lives, including their social, cultural, political and economic life. Leadership There are different ways to define leadership. Maxwell (2008) defines leadership as ‘influence — nothing more, nothing less’. This definition diverges radically from the conventional perspective in terms of which leadership is viewed as a position. Instead, it promotes the use of persuasion and provides a model for followers in order to ensure their full and willing participation in the decision-making and implementation processes. Memorialisation Memorialisation is the process of preserving the memory of a person or an event. According to Hopwood (2011), this is done symbolically: a functioning memorial needs to connect to a narrative or history in the minds of those who experience it. Memorialisation is about honouring the dignity, suffering and humanity of victims, both living and dead, and commemorating the struggles and suffering of individuals and communities (see Modules 2 and 7). Examples in Zimbabwe include heroes’ acres (cemeteries), Heroes’ Day celebrations, Independence Day (18 April) and Unity Day (22 December). Module 1: Understanding community healing 5 1