South Africa’s reconciliation as an international model? A critical appraisal of the South African Truth Commission

Source: Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia, Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies.

This document consists of a presentation and dialogue at the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies on the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The presenters were Heribert Adam and Kogila Adam-Moodley. After the presentations, there was a question and answer period for those attending the colloquium; the questions and answers are part of the document. The colloquium began with Kogila Adam-Moodley placing the TRC in the broad spectrum of how authoritarian regimes deal with the past. Heribert Adam then gave a more critical appraisal of the TRC. Specifically, he examined whether or not it is an international model of reconciliation and how it could serve that end.