The U.S. should learn from transitional justice initiatives in other countries and implement a formal plan to reckon with the deeply harmful legacies of racism and European colonialism.
By Alexander Hinton, Sapiens, 12 MAY 2021
ALEXANDER HINTON is a distinguished professor of anthropology at Rutgers University.
President Joe Biden centered his 2020 presidential campaign on a promise to restore the soul of the United States. In his November 9, 2020, acceptance speech, given in the wake of racial justice protests and a bitter election, Biden reiterated, “This is the time to heal in America.” He repeated this message in February, after the Senate impeachment trial that acquitted former President Donald Trump from accusations of inciting the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol.
Biden has made important first steps, including bipartisan outreach. But to meet the moment, Biden needs to think big, particularly if he wants to address the root causes of White nationalism and systemic racism, two key issues underlying the country’s divisions.
One place to look for models of social repair is in the experience of other countries who have sought to heal after periods of strife, a process sometimes referred to as transitional justice. The framework encompasses mechanisms such as trials, truth commissions, memorialization, and educational initiatives aimed at redressing injustices, holding those responsible accountable, and creating the foundations for a society where such wrongs will not be repeated.
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