How to transform zipper-shaped conflict narratives
In order to transform conflict-supporting narratives, one needs to understand their construction principles. Then it becomes possible to facilitate processes with key narrators to encourage them to incorporate new elements in their proven narratives. A narrative is a story, that is told in a certain way by a significant group of people, with beginning and […]
Towards Inclusive Gender in Transitional Justice
While gender perspectives have become a burgeoning focus of analysis in transitional justice, the dominant conceptualization of ‘gender’ in the context of processes of dealing with the past is often an exclusive one, predominantly equated with ‘women and girls’. Phillipp Schulz argues that as a result of these foci, careful consideration for the roles of […]
Agonistic memory and transitional justice
Memory cultures that are directed at achieving a social consensus by placing the emphasis on the victims’ perspective depoliticise remembering and are a blunt instrument in countering populist or neo-nationalist approaches. The concept of ‘agonistic memory’ is a response to this and an attempt to make political differences visible and negotiable once more. Many actors […]
Systematising conflict narratives, making them transparent
inmedio analyses conflict narratives under laboratory conditions – be they the Western and Russian or the Russian and Ukrainian discourses about the recent past. But how does this work, and what happens to the results? We talk to Dirk Splinter. R. Possekel: You contrast the “Western” and the “Russian” discourses over the past 20 years […]
The Voice of Those Who Cannot Speak
The Colombian state truth commission was set up under the final peace agreement signed between the Colombian government and the FARC to end the conflict and build a stable and lasting peace. Linda Helfrich (GiZ) interviewed Carlos Martín Beristain, who is one of the eleven commissioners working for the Comisión de la Verdad (Truth Commission). […]
Development of a concept of transitional justice for Ukraine
The international civil society platform CivilM+ recently offers recommendations for an effective policy for the reintegration of the population affected by the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine. Transitional Justice is part of it. The recommendations are centered around eight relevant topics including one on Transitional Justice as chapter 3. This provides for: III: Development of […]
The Burden of the Past
The Southern African Youth Forum works in various ways to strengthen the role of youth in Transitional Justice processes and to build barriers against the renewed use of violence in political struggles. Youth in the SADC region carries the burden of the past, with the region having the background of attaining independence through the liberation […]
Ukraine struggles to adopt Transitional Justice mechanisms
Experts from the Ukrainian Helsinki Union for Human Rights, supported by the Ombudsman Office, drafted a bill on Transitional Justice to initiate further legislation and a peacebuilding process. While compensation and criminal prosecution are important objectives, truth and dealing with the past are still on hold due to a lack of European support. We talk […]
Red lights and diapraxis
“I saw that it was possible to create conditions in which we can show our feelings without killing each other.” Talking to each other and engaging in joint action in the midst of a violent conflict – this project has been bringing together women from Ukraine, Russia and other European countries since 2015. The armed […]
The Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation
The Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation collaborates with government officials on a global scale to provide them with concrete tools for action, for example, in Kenya and in the United States. Working on a global scale With offices in New York, USA; Oświęcim, Poland; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Kampala, Uganda, the Auschwitz Institute works […]