ABSTRACT
A central question in the aftermath of repressive regimes, civil war, genocide, and political upheaval is how best to address issues of accountability surrounding past violence and human rights abuses. In practice, countries employ a wide variety of approaches to such questions of transitional justice.1 Of note, truth commissions – investigative bodies tasked with examining these legacies – have emerged as a popular option on the policy menu. Frequently advocated as a sensible alternative to extensive prosecutions or sweeping amnesties,2 more than thirty countries that have experienced democratic transitions have instituted truth commissions.3 The current popularity of this alternative is such that every regime change, peace agreement, or impending political transformation – including most recently in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kenya, and Liberia – prompts calls for another commission to be established.
