Truth, Accountability, and Reparations

The global movement for truth, accountability, and reparations has a history that begins with the human rights movement in Latin America and includes (ongoing) struggles to address genocide, human rights abuse, and crimes against humanity in countries as diverse as Liberia, East Timor, Argentina, South Africa, and the United States. This course will be an intensive immersion in questions of truth and accountability, providing students with the tools necessary to understand and critically evaluate initiatives around the world.  We will begin with a theoretical introduction to core concepts such as truth, accountability, memory, justice, reparations, and guarantees of non-repetition, including both historical examples (South Africa, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Morocco) as well as more current initiatives (e.g. Canada, Colombia, the United States). The course format will include a combination of lectures, film and video, and participatory exercises.