Truth commissions, education, and positive peace: an analysis of truth commission final reports (1980–2015)

Abstract

General rightsThis document is made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the reference above. Full terms of use are available: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/pure/userguides/explore-bristol-research/ebr-terms/ Truth commissions, education and positive peace: an analysis of truth commission final reports (1980 -2015)Abstract Transitional justice and education both occupy increasingly prominent space on the international peacebuilding agenda, though less is known about the ways they might reinforce one another to contribute towards peace. This paper presents a cross-national analysis of truth commission reports spanning 1980-2015, exploring the range of educational work taken on by one of the most prominent forms of transitional justice. We find that truth commission engagement with education is increasing over time and that truth commissions are incorporating the task of 'telling the truth about education' into their work. However, when truth commissions engage with education, they tend to recommend forwards looking reforms, for instance decontextualized human rights and peace education. We argue that this limits the contribution that truth commissions might make towards positive peace by failing to use their backwards looking, truth telling work to insist on transformation in the educational sector.

The limits on critical voice in conflict-affected universities: Evidence from Sierra Leone and Sri Lanka

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Conceptualising historical legacies for transitional justice history education in postcolonial societies

“…It is therefore not surprising that the most frequent educational engagement of truth commissions is to recommend educational content. An analysis of truth commission final reports (Paulson and Bellino, 2017), for example, found that 16 reports called for non-formal education programmes, and 15 reports recommended the development of new content or subject areas within formal education. Furthermore, truth commission reports have provided source material for official textbooks (Bentrovato and Wassermann, 2018) and alternative educational materials developed by human rights organisations in Guatemala (Oglesby, 2007), South Africa (Weldon, 2010) and Peru (Paulson, 2017).…”

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