Overcoming Apartheid: Can Truth Reconcile a Divided Nation?

Abstract

Gibson presents a paper that directly investigates the hypothesis that truth leads to reconciliation. Based on a survey of 3,700 South Africans in 2001, Gibson gives both “truth” and “reconciliation” conceptual and operational meaning. He then reports empirical evidence that the “truth” as promulgated by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is fairly widely accepted by South Africans, of least some degree of reconciliation characterizes South Africa today; and that the collective produced by the process (“truth”) did indeed contribute to reconciliation.