Research That Matters (January 17 - 20, 2008)

Purpose: This study investigates the Greensboro Truth & Reconciliation Commission (GTRC) in North Carolina, a psychosocial intervention aimed at cultivating social wellbeing among the victims and community affected by the 1979 ‘Greensboro Massacre.' The GTRC was implemented in 2004; 25 years after a racially motivated violent conflict during which KKK and American Nazi Party members killed 5 labor union activists, and injured 10 more. Following the South African model, the GTRC attempted to engage the community in dialogue to clarify the causes and consequences of the violence. Truth & Reconciliation Commissions (TRCs) are a primary mechanism for fostering social wellbeing after mass violence, but have achieved mixed results; there is little empirical evidence that these interventions contribute to social recovery after conflict, and prevent the recurrence of violence. This study examines the effectiveness of the GTRC at improving the psychological and social wellbeing of victims of violence and participants. This study seeks to understand if reconciliation was achieved, and if so, how reconciliation contributes to the welfare of victims. Method: An exploratory qualitative research design was used, in which in-depth, open-ended interviews were conducted with victims of the Greensboro Massacre who subsequently gave statements to the GTRC (n=22). Purposive sampling was used to include the population most affected by the violence who also participated in the intervention. A qualitative research design permits the fullest exploration of the victims' and participants' experiences. No research has studied this population, and there has been no inquiry into what reconciliation might constitute conceptually in the US South. Therefore conducting open-ended interviews was appropriate. Interviews were analyzed in ATLAS.ti for themes of reconciliation, psychological healing, and social wellbeing. Results: Overall, victims and participants reported positive experiences with the GTRC. Several dimensions of reconciliation were described, including truth, justice, and forgiveness; these reflected varying conceptions of reconciliation. Participants identified that the GTRC contributed to their individual wellbeing by restoring dignity to the victims, and to their social wellbeing by engaging the community in dialogue. However, the participants did not report significant increases in social and economic wellbeing as a result of the GTRC. Some victims were frustrated with the GTRC process. Analysis suggests that these participants had the highest expectations for the TRC intervention, which contributed to their sense of dissatisfaction. Implications: The participants' experiences indicate that policymakers should attend to the psychological and social needs of victims and communities suffering from violence. This study suggests that the TRC model is an effective community-based participatory intervention that can be used to promote reconciliation in divided communities. Interventions for victims of violence can be improved by understanding victims' experiences and their psychological and social needs. Future TRC and conflict resolution interventions need to attend to the material social welfare of victims, and to the economic inequalities that exacerbate conflict. Future research is required to further evaluate the impact of the GTRC on the community; population based surveys on the dimensions of reconciliation identified in this research are suggested.