Truth Commissions

This report draws on the proceedings of a conference organised by the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation in South Africa in April 1998. The purpose of the conference, 'From Truth to Transformation,' was to evaluate the work of the TRC and to consider future challenges, especially those confronting non-governmental organisations that would be working on reconciliation once…

This is the first chapter in the "Past Imperfect: Strategies for Dealing with Past Political Violence in Northern Ireland, South Africa and Countries in Transition," by Brandon Hamber. The chapter furthers the debate about dealing with, or perhaps not dealing with, the past in Northern Ireland, also citing and evaluating South Africa and Guatemala with regards to reconciliation processes.  

This article assesses the psychological impact on victims of the nation-building discourse of truth commissions. It asks: to what degree does a nation undergo a uniform and collective truth-telling experience and what are the consequences for individual subjectivities of asserting that nations have psyches or collective consciences?  

This paper focuses on the legacy of the negotiated settlement in South Africa. It begins by outlining the events surrounding the South African transition, and looks closely at the role of violence in that process. The timing of the transition and the agreements reached are explored. The issue of amnesty is specifically highlighted. The long-term consequences for the survivors of…

This paper attempts to provide some understanding of the role of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in promoting reconciliation within the community of Duduza. While the TRC does not have a specific mandate to advance local reconciliation, it has defined its role as building a foundation for reconciliation in South Africa. In order to understand the future of reconciliation…

In a large country with many rural inhabitants, to merely document all the gross violations of human rights that occurred under apartheid and to simply provide the space to thousands of victims to recount the stories of their abuse, all within a time frame of just two years, would require a superhuman effort. It remains possible and is fundamentally important,…