Trading Justice for Peace? Reframing reconciliation in TRC processes in South Africa, Canada and Nordic countries

Conflict in its various manifestations continues to be a defining feature in many places throughout the world. In an attempt to address such conflict, various forms of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) have been introduced to facilitate the transition from social conflict to a new dispensation. The introduction and subsequent proceedings of TRCs in South Africa, Canada and Norway are widely regarded as good examples of this approach. Against this background, a number of researchers from VID Specialized University and the University of the Western Cape had an exploratory meeting in Oslo in 2018 where the possibility for a joint research project under the broad theme of ‘discourses on reconciliation’ was first discussed. This led to two further research symposia in Cape Town and Tromsø in 2019. With the inclusion of specialists working on the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation process, these meetings demonstrated common ground and a shared understanding of the issues at stake. Moreover, it pointed to the differences between the South African, Canadian and Norwegian Commissions. In comparing the South African, Canadian and Norwegian experiences, researchers identified that these countries were, in fact, at different stages of their respective truth and reconciliation processes. This has prompted scholars to revisit and problematise these processes in relation to ongoing societal challenges. In all cases, it is quite apparent that reconciliation between individuals and groups remains a significant challenge

Trading Justice for Peace? Reframing reconciliation in TRC processes in South Africa, Canada and Nordic countries

Conflict in its various manifestations continues to be a defining feature in many places throughout the world. In an attempt to address such conflict, various forms of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) have been introduced to facilitate the transition from social conflict to a new dispensation. The introduction and subsequent proceedings of TRCs in South Africa, Canada and Norway are widely regarded as good examples of this approach. Against this background, a number of researchers from VID Specialized University and the University of the Western Cape had an exploratory meeting in Oslo in 2018 where the possibility for a joint research project under the broad theme of ‘discourses on reconciliation’ was first discussed. This led to two further research symposia in Cape Town and Tromsø in 2019. With the inclusion of specialists working on the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation process, these meetings demonstrated common ground and a shared understanding of the issues at stake. Moreover, it pointed to the differences between the South African, Canadian and Norwegian Commissions. In comparing the South African, Canadian and Norwegian experiences, researchers identified that these countries were, in fact, at different stages of their respective truth and reconciliation processes. This has prompted scholars to revisit and problematise these processes in relation to ongoing societal challenges. In all cases, it is quite apparent that reconciliation between individuals and groups remains a significant challenge

Medicine and the Arts Week 1 - Brave heart, faint heart, new heart

In this video, heart transplant recipient Stanley Henkeman describes his own journey from an active life, to living with debilitating heart disease and finally as a recipient of a new heart. He reflects on his experiences and feelings during this journey and emphasises how the perspective and narrative of the patient is critically important in the ongoing endeavour to make healthcare more humane. This is the sixth video in Week 1 of the Medicine and the Arts Massive Open Online Course

Religious education in South Africa : reflections on past, present and possible future curriculum practice

Bibliography: pages 89-94.Education is perhaps the area which has been affected most profoundly, both by the policy of Apartheid and the resistance to that policy. Since 1976, the year of the Soweto uprising, people have been talking about the Crisis in Education. Sporadic student uprisings have occurred from time to time. The education system has been rejected by many teacher and community organisations. This state of affairs is hardly surprising if we consider the main characteristics of the present education system as seen by Ken Hartshorne, "It is based on race and apartheid ideology. It is·based on class and economic discrimination. The central state authority is dominant. The education system is authoritarian in character. The education system is the site of crisis and struggle. It is permeated by contradictions and uncertainties" (1992, 4-8). This thesis is an attempt to locate the curriculum practice in Religious Education during the height of the Apartheid era, to consider what options we have and to make proposals as to what can be done in terms of philosophy and practice for the future

Medicine and the Arts Week 1 - In dialogue about the heart

In this video, Professor Steve Reid poses additional questions to Professor Johan Brink, poet Peter Anderson, and heart transplant recipient Stanley Henkeman to try to tease out the different disciplinary perspectives on the heart and heart transplantation. This is the seventh video in Week 1 of the Medicine and the Arts Massive Open Online Course