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  • © 2019

Impact, Legitimacy, and Limitations of Truth Commissions

Authors:

  • Makes a significant contribution to our understanding of how institutions of transitional justice are best able to serve individuals, states, and the international community
  • Demonstrates that certain characteristics of truth commissions are necessary in order for those truth commissions to be impactful
  • Uses a new dataset to identify and test three components of legitimacy - authority demonstrated by a strong mandate, a break with the past signaled by a new regime, and transparency via public hearings and published reports

Part of the book series: Human Rights Interventions (HURIIN)

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Table of contents (7 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xv
  2. Introduction

    • Angela D. Nichols
    Pages 1-14
  3. Mechanisms of Transitional Justice

    • Angela D. Nichols
    Pages 15-23
  4. Truth Commission Legitimacy

    • Angela D. Nichols
    Pages 25-40
  5. Measuring Truth Commission Characteristics

    • Angela D. Nichols
    Pages 41-51
  6. Truth Commission Legitimacy and Human Rights

    • Angela D. Nichols
    Pages 53-71
  7. Conclusion

    • Angela D. Nichols
    Pages 87-101
  8. Back Matter

    Pages 103-106

About this book

This book develops a theoretical understanding of how truth commissions achieve legitimacy and contribute to peace and stability. Angela D. Nichols argues that truth commissions are most likely to impact society when they possess certain institutional characteristics—characteristics that send important political signals to the state and broader society alike. If these signals suggest greater degrees of authority, a break with the past, and transparency in both its investigations and its findings, the truth commission is more likely to impact society. In particular, Nichols examines whether or not states that adopt truth commissions with these characteristics are more likely to respect human rights and experience lower levels of violence. She concludes with an analysis of Colombia’s newly established Truth, Coexistence, and Non-Recurrence Commission. 


Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of Political Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA

    Angela D. Nichols

About the author

Angela D. Nichols is Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Florida Atlantic University, USA. She has published work in the Journal of Conflict ResolutionInternational Studies PerspectivesConflict, Security, & Development; and Civil Wars. 

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access