Art, truth, reconciliation and resistance: Reaching out in Sierra Leone and Canada

Rachel Kerr

Chapter 11 in Art and Human Rights, 2023, pp 231-247 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Because of its affective, dialogic and open-ended character, art can open up new spaces for communities to contend with legacies of violence and atrocity. It can do this in a variety of ways, by making visible and restoring dignity to victims, creating empathy, opening dialogue and even healing. As such, it offers the potential to ‘reach out’ beyond transitional justice institutions to the constituencies they serve. This chapter explores the potential for art as a tool of outreach by interrogating two instances where art was invoked in and around truth and reconciliation commissions in Sierra Leone and Canada. It finds that while art can be a powerful tool to help foster engagement and even reconciliation, it is also important to recognize the power of art as a site of resistance and contestation.

Keywords: Law - Academic; Politics and Public Policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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