Victims of Political Violence: A Habermasian Model of Truth Recovery

Abstract

This article focuses on truth recovery as a core aspect of the transition from political violence to peace and reconciliation. It is crucial within any process of truth recovery in transitional contexts that victims of political violence are provided with the opportunity to articulate their narratives of suffering within the context of a public dialogic process. Using Northern Ireland as an illustrative case study, I outline a unique and original model for truth recovery in transitional contexts. I argue that in post-conflict societies victims of political violence should be enabled to engage in meaningful truth recovery through a Habermasian process of public democratic deliberation and communication that involves direct dialogue with perpetrators of political violence. This process – which I have labeled ‘communicative justice’- is framed within the context of the theory of communicative action of Jurgen Habermas. Communicative justice can help to ensure that legitimate truth recovery publicly acknowledges the trauma of victims and subjects perpetrator narratives of political violence to critical scrutiny and rational deconstruction.