Switala, Julian2010-05-122010-05-122010-04-21https://hdl.handle.net/11299/62060Additional contributor: Leigh Payne (faculty mentor).Human rights violations are occurring at an alarming rate and show no sign of stopping. During the 20th Century governments ruthlessly mass murdered more than four times the number of people killed in the 20th Century’s international and civil wars combined. The enormity of these political injustices cannot be ignored. Transitional justice seeks to redress gross human rights violations through a range of institutional mechanisms after a period of state repression or armed conflict. One such mechanism is a truth and reconciliation commission (TRC) which undertakes the duties of restoring the dignity of victimized citizens, establishing an accurate account of the past, creating a collective memory of historical wrongdoing, and legitimizing the new political system. Knowing when and why TRCs are most successful is not only essential to curbing future human rights violations, but is also key to preventing TRCs from being established in vain. Many Latin American nations have experienced violent governmental repression and several of these nations established TRCs in response. This research project analyzed the Latin American experience of TRCs and contends that TRCs are best able to strengthen democracy, improve human rights protection, and deter future violations if they meet two conditions: (1) the TRC must be established within two years of the time period to be investigated and (2) the TRC must be accompanied by some form of punishment, such as criminal or human rights trials. Ultimately, this research project provides preliminary prescriptions for policymakers who wish to know when, why, and how transitional justice mechanisms are most effective.en-USDepartment of Political ScienceCollege of Liberal ArtsPresentation