Remaking Transitional Justice in the United States

This book explores rhetorical attempts to authorize the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a grassroots initiative to investigate a traumatic event in the city's past. It describes mechanisms of transitional justice that are frequently overlooked.

Remaking Transitional Justice in the United States: The Rhetoric of the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission explores rhetorical attempts to authorize the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commissiona grassroots, U.S.-based truth commission created in 2004 toredress past injustices in the city. Through detailed rhetorical analyses, the book demonstratesthat the development of the field of transitional justice has given rise to a transnational rhetorical tradition that provides those working in the field with series of enabling constraints. The book then shows how Greensboro stakeholders attempted to reaccentuate this rhetorical tradition in their rhetorical performances to construct authority and bring about justice, even as the tradition shaped their discourse in ways that limited the scope of their responses. Calling attention to the rhetorical interdependence among practitioners of transitional justice, this study offers insights into the development of transitional justice in the United States and in grassroots contexts in other liberal democracies. The volume is a relevant guide to scholars and practitioners of transitional justice as it brings into relief mechanisms of transitional justice that are frequently overlookednamely, rhetorical mechanisms. It also speaks to any readers who may be interested in the communicative strategies/tactics that may be employed by grassroots transitional justice initiatives.

Takes a language-oriented approach to the field of transitional justice Explores the first truth commission of its kind in the U.S. Serves as guide to practitioners of transitional justice who are looking for strategies to garner authority for their initiatives Reveals some of the global interconnections between various transitional justice initiatives.

Auteur
James E. Beitler is an Assistant Professor of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island. His dissertationwhich was completed at the University of Michigan in 2009explores the rhetorical activity of the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Texte du rabat

Remaking Transitional Justice in the United States explores rhetorical attempts to authorize the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commissiona grassroots initiative established in Greensboro, North Carolina in 2004 to investigate a traumatic and controversial event in the city's past.

The book demonstrates that the field of transitional justice has given rise to a transnational rhetorical tradition that provides practitioners with resources to act in their own particular contexts. It then shows, through detailed analyses, how the Greensboro commissioners and their advocates made use of this rhetorical tradition in their attempts to establish the Commission's authority in the community. Calling attention to the rhetorical moves shared among those working in the field of transitional justice, this study offers insights into the development of transitional justice in the United States and other liberal democracies.

This book is relevant to scholars and practitioners of transitional justice as it describes mechanisms of transitional justice that are frequently overlooked: rhetorical mechanisms. It also speaks to any readers interested in the communicative strategies of truth commissions.

Contenu
Chapter 1. The Problem of Power: Authorizing Transitional Justice in Greensboro, NorthCarolina.-Chapter 2. The Rhetorical Tradition of Transitional Justice.-Chapter 3: "A Person is a Person Through Other Persons": Reaccentuating Ubuntu in Greensboro.-Chapter 4. Reaccentuating Representivity in Greensboro.-Chapter 5. Redefining Truth Commission: Definitional Maneuvering in the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Final Report.-Chapter 6. Inescapable Networks of Mutuality: The Development of Transitional Justicein the United States.