The Cultural Construction of Healing in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Implications for mental health practice
Abstract
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has been widely hailed by mental health practitioners and others as a source of psychological healing. In this article we consider this claim and its relevance to clinical practice. Recent research in anthropology and related disciplines in South Africa and elsewhere raises questions about the cultural construction of traumatic memory and healing. We argue that these questions have bearing on how we understand the role of mental health practitioners and mental health institutions in the post-TRC period. Case material is be used to illustrate our view that it is important to distinguish between individual and collective healing.
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- Authors
- Swartz, L., & Drennan, G.
- Affiliations
- University of Cape Town (ZA)
- ORCID
- Swartz, Leslie
- Venue
- Ethnicity & Health
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2000-08
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 3-4
- Pages
- 205-213
- ISSN
- 1355-7858 (ISSN-L)
- 1465-3419
- OpenAlex
- W1985912082
- Cited by
- 44
- References
- 25
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 2.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Ethnicity and Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Memory, violence, and history
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › War, Law, and Justice
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Memory, History, Trauma, Identity
- Keywords
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission, traumatic memory, psychological healing, mental health practice, post-apartheid South Africa
- MeSH terms
- Ethnicity, Humans, Human Rights, Mental Health Services, South Africa, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Truth Disclosure, Crime Victims
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