Truth Commissions and Transitional Justice: A Select Bibliography on the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission Debate

2001 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyrone Savage ◽  
Barbara Schmid ◽  
Keith A. Vermeulen
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Transitional Justice ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Truth Commissions ◽  
The South ◽  
Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation ◽  
Select Bibliography

scholarly journals Truth and reconciliation: Should the key notions be revised?: Experiences from South-Africa and Rwanda

Temida ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 33-44
Author(s):  
Heidy Rombouts
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Transitional Justice ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation Commission ◽  
The South ◽  
Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation ◽  
Precise Meaning ◽  
Fact Finding

Both the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Gacaca tribunals, which started recently in Rwanda, are framed in terms of truth and reconciliation. But what does the truth mean? What does reconciliation mean? It can be argued that searching the truth has a very precise meaning - namely determining the details of what factually happened. And it is in this sense that most people understand the search for the truth. However it can be questioned whether this fact-finding is what the search for truth aims at in a context of transitional justice. .

Research into Reconciliation and Forgiveness at the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Homi Bhabha’s “Architecture of the New”

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (02) ◽  
pp. 203-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antjie Krog
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Transitional Justice ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Epistemic Communities ◽  
Access Route ◽  
The South ◽  
Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation ◽  
African Worldview ◽  
Central Argument

Abstract The central argument of this article is that within the discourse around the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), many scholars have insufficiently applied the concept of an indigenous African worldview in their analysis of the TRC’s work, leading them at times to describe the process as coerced, contradictory, and politically manipulated. Using the different stages of my research as well as the different texts that “lit up” every phase, I argue that through a focus on language and translation, the pervasiveness of a particular worldview of interconnectedness can be traced that enabled the commission to execute its mandate creatively and without incidences of revenge. The acknowledgement of an indigenous interconnectedness has wide implications for the concept of transitional justice as it rejuvenates the main concepts of healing, amnesty, and reconciliation. As a journalist who reported on the daily activities of the commission, I move in this piece between the different epistemic communities of journalism, writing, and academia in order to understand the way in which language and its underlying epistemology provides an important access route to understanding the workings of the TRC and the testimonies provided by witnesses.

Dealing with the past and transitional justice: building peace through accountability

2006 ◽  
Vol 88 (862) ◽  
pp. 311-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasmin Sooka
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Transitional Justice ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation Commission ◽  
The South ◽  
Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation ◽  
The Past ◽  
Sierra Leonean ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation Commissions ◽  
Guiding Principles

Based on her experience as a member of the South African and the Sierra Leonean truth and reconciliation commissions, the author formulates guiding principles and looks at the circumstances in which a truth and reconciliation commission constitutes an appropriate instrument to deal with transitional justice issues. The author also identifies possible contributions that truth and reconciliation commissions can make during a period of transition.

scholarly journals Culture and Procedural Justice in Transitioning Societies

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Landon Hancock ◽  
Tamra d’Estrée
Keyword(s):  
Procedural Justice ◽  
South African ◽  
Transitional Justice ◽  
Retributive Justice ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Local Culture ◽  
The South ◽  
Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation

In any transitional justice mechanism there are tradeoffs between the search for retributive justice and the practical limitations on what can be accomplished. To date, this tension has been discussed in reference to internationally established norms of justice, which the authors argue are limited in the extent to which they can explain why certain mechanisms—such as the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission or Rwanda’s gacaca courts—have been considered successful. We argue that mechanisms that have a high overlap between local culture and elements of procedural justice are perceived as more fair and just, even to those who may not benefit—or indeed may be burdened—by their operation.

scholarly journals Truth and reconciliation in South Africa: Hindu experiences and concerns

2004 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
P.G.J. Meiring
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Faith Communities ◽  
The South ◽  
Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation ◽  
Hindu Community ◽  
The Way

The author who served on the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), focuses on the Hindu experience in South Africa during the apartheid years. At a special TRC Hearing for Faith Communities (East London, 17-19 November 1997) two submissions by local Hindu leaders were tabled. Taking his cues from those submissions, the author discusses four issues: the way the Hindu community suffered during these years, the way in which some members of the Hindu community supported the system of apartheid, the role of Hindus in the struggle against apartheid, and finally the contribution of the Hindu community towards reconciliation in South Africa. In conclusion some notes on how Hindus and Christians may work together in th

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document