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Title Perceptions of psychosocial healing and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa
Full text http://hdl.handle.net/2263/14303
Date 1998
Author(s) De la Rey, Cheryl; Owens, Ingrid
Abstract Pubished when Prof de la Rey was a lecturer in psychology at the University of Cape Town. - Like many other societies that have dealt with the question of how to achieve closure of a past of oppression while simultaneously working toward national reconstruction and reconciliation, South Africa turned to the concept of a truth commission. Public testimony constitutes the central mechanism in the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) process. Through the use of social constructionism as a broad framework in which the testimony method may be located, this descriptive study examines various narratives to uncover understandings of healing and the modes of healing invoked by both victims and those facilitating the healing process. Two data sources were used: testimony transcripts from public hearings of the TRC and transcripts from interviews with key players in the process. Thematic analysis revealed that there are multiple understandings of healing but overall, the narratives affirmed the therapeutic value of the testimony method. The central issue under discussion in the article is the connectedness between individual healing and national reconciliation.
Subject(s) TRC; Social adaptation; 302.0968; South Africa. Truth and Reconciliation Commission; Oppression (Psychology); Social adjustment -- South Africa; Social psychology -- South Africa
Coverage Africa; South Africa; AD
Language en
Publisher Taylor & Francis
Type of publication Postprint article
Rights Taylor & Francis. This is an electronic version of an article published in Peace and Conflict, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 257-270, 1998. Peace and Conflict is available online at: http://www.informaworld.com/
Identifier De la Rey, C & Owens, I 1998, 'Perceptions of psychosocial healing and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa', Peace and Conflict, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 257-270. [http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t775653690~db=all]; 1078-1919; 10.1207/s15327949pac0403_4
Repository Pretoria - University of Pretoria, Theses and Dissertations
Added to C-A: 2010-09-01;08:30:34