Arts & Culture
Rituals of Commemoration and the Politics of Memory in Post-Conflict Societies
Quick fact
In South Africa, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's hearings functioned as a national ritual where victims and perpetrators publicly told their stories, shaping a new 'Rainbow Nation' narrative—yet this official memory often suppressed local, painful details of apartheid-era violence.
Why this is interesting
Every year, nations pause for a minute of silence on anniversaries of tragedy—but who decides which tragedy is remembered, and whose victims matter most?