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The Human Face of Justice: The Truth and Reconciliation Commission Process in South Africa David Backer Department of Political Science University of Michigan. Background. Third Wave 60+ transitions since 1974 legacies of violence, abuses and malfeasance

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  1. The Human Face of Justice:The Truth and Reconciliation Commission Process in South AfricaDavid BackerDepartment of Political ScienceUniversity of Michigan

  2. Background • Third Wave • 60+ transitions since 1974 • legacies of violence, abuses and malfeasance • Menu of approaches to transitional justice • prosecution • lustration • truth commission • amnesty • Truth commissions as a compromise • practical alternative • absence of legal accountability

  3. Impact of Truth Commissions • Macro-level studies • Huntington (1991): comparative analysis of regime stability • Botha (1998): large-N analysis of political unrest • Community-level studies • Van der Merwe (1998): reconciliation in South Africa • Micro-level studies • Gibson & Guows (various): general population survey of tolerance in South Africa Gap: empirical research on victims’ responses

  4. Relevant Literatures • Trust in government • Political participation • Institutional legitimacy • Legal processes • Justice • Democratic consolidation

  5. Research Questions Are truth commissions just in the eyes of victims of human rights abuses? Does direct participation in the process mitigate the sense of injustice?

  6. Data Collection Johannesburg Cape Town Aug – Sep 00 Focus Groups Jan – Oct 02 Sampling Database Sep – Oct 00 Questionnaire Design Aug – Nov 02 Questionnaire Design Nov – Dec 00 Sampling Database Nov 02 Pilot Test Dec 00 Pilot Test Nov 02 – Feb 03 Survey Administration Jan – Mar 01 Questionnaire Revision Jan – Feb 03 Data Entry/Cleaning Jul 01 – Feb 02 Survey Administration Mar 03 Follow-up Interviews Mar – Jul 02 Data Entry/Cleaning

  7. Survey Samples Johannesburg Cape Town Total N=176 Total N=228 Did not give statement N=90 Gave statement N=86 Gave statement N=80 Did not give statement N=148 Testified N=27 Did not testify N=59 Testified N=35 Did not testify N=45 Testified N=3

  8. Perceptions of Justice Cape Town Jo’burg Pooled • Acknowledgement 2.76 3.46 3.07 • Voice 2.53 2.30 2.43 • Truth 2.19 1.41 1.84 • Accountability 3.00 1.64 2.38 • Apology 2.06 1.35 1.74 • Punishment 2.51 2.09 2.33 • Reparations 1.94 1.37 1.69 • Changes in Society 2.59 1.94 2.30 • Total Index 2.46 1.95 2.23 (Likert scale: 1=min; 5=max)

  9. Perceptions of Justice Neither Statement Testified • Acknowledgement 2.79 3.37 3.59 • Voice 2.07 2.81 3.09 • Truth 1.84 1.91 1.75 • Accountability 2.50 2.17 2.29 • Apology 1.72 1.87 1.65 • Punishment 2.34 2.30 2.33 • Reparations 1.77 1.60 1.50 • Changes in Society 2.24 2.27 2.59 • Total Index 2.16 2.29 2.38 (Likert scale: 1=min; 5=max)

  10. Acknowledgement Testified =+0.21 Statement Participant =+0.58 =+0.66 Non-Participant

  11. Voice Testified =+0.28 Statement Participant =+0.74 =+0.85 Non-Participant

  12. Truth Testified =-0.15 Statement Participant =+0.07 =+0.01 Non-Participant

  13. Accountability Testified =+0.13 Statement Participant =-0.34 =-0.29 Non-Participant

  14. Apology Testified =-0.22 Statement Participant =+0.15 =+0.07 Non-Participant

  15. Punishment Testified =+0.03 Statement Participant =-0.04 =-0.03 Non-Participant

  16. Reparation Testified =-0.10 Statement Participant =-0.17 =-0.21 Non-Participant

  17. Change in Society Testified =+0.32 Statement Participant =+0.03 =+0.16 Non-Participant

  18. Total Index Testified =+0.08 Statement Participant =+0.13 =+0.16 Non-participant

  19. Key Findings • Victims’ perceptions of justice are consistently negative, with the exception of the dimension of acknowledgement. • Participation has countervailing effects: positive for acknowledgement & voice, but negative for accountability & reparation. • Significant differences between research sites indicate divergent local processes.

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