Measuring the impacts of truth and reconciliation commissions: Placing the global ‘success’ of TRCs in local perspective

Abstract

Truth and reconciliation commissions (TRCs) have emerged as an international norm and are assumed to be an essential element of national reconciliation, democratization, and post-conflict development. Despite the increase in the number of TRCs being initiated around the globe and the international consensus regarding their positive effects, there is little understanding of the long-term effects and consequences of TRCs. Specifically, currently there are no established methods or mechanisms for measuring the impacts of TRCs; furthermore, the few examples of efforts to measure these impacts have serious limitations. This article explores both the rise in TRCs as an international norm and the contradictions and inadequacies in existing efforts to measure the impacts and successes of commissions. Through this examination, we aim to demonstrate the need for more critical, interactive, and inclusive mechanisms of assessment for understanding the effects of TRCs. The objective is neither to promote nor to criticize a specific TRC or TRCs in general; however, this article emphasizes the need to think rigorously about how we assess the effects of TRCs and offers insights into the value of more comprehensive mechanisms for assessing the impacts and local perceptions of commissions.

Delivering output and struggling for change: Tacit activism among professional transitional justice work in Sierra Leone and Kenya

“…As such, it has been shown to often marginalize grassroots voices and agendas (e.g., Madlingozi, 2010; Menzel, 2020a). It has also often failed to deliver on its promises, at least when assessed in terms of local experiences and perceptions (e.g., Hirsch et al, 2012; Millar, 2015).…”

Predictors of Support toward Transitional Justice Process in Chilean General Population Sample

“…Specifically, currently there are no established mechanisms for measuring the impacts of TRC (Hirsch, McKenzie, & Sesay, 2012), neither the levels (set of variables) that would be relevant have been established.…”

Estudios de paz y conflictos

“…Segundo, contribuye a armonizar diferentes versiones de la historia, ayudando a diversos sectores de la sociedad a entender la magnitud de los hechos ocurridos y tomar conciencia del papel que jugaron ciertos actores e instituciones, para que no vuelvan a repetirse estos acontecimientos a futuro. Tercero, al analizar los patrones de hechos victimizantes, permite formular recomendaciones para abordar las condiciones estructurales que propiciaron estos hechos (Hayner 2011;Brahm 2009;Ríos Oyola 2020;Ben-Josef Hirsch, MacKenzie y Sesay 2012). La CEH así focalizó su trabajo en el esclarecimiento de las graves violaciones a los derechos humanos cometidas durante el conflicto armado guatemalteco y la formulación de recomendaciones para evitar su repetición.…”