Truth-Finding and Transitional Politics: An Analysis on Truth-Finding and its Relation to Post – Peace-Accord Contexts in Latin America, Through an Exploration of the Political Thought of Hannah Arendt

Truth-finding is a central task during a peace process, yet, it is a highly disputed and conflictive one, met often with discourses of denial, generalized impunity and post-conflict violence, as observed in recent peace processes in Latin America. This doctoral research asks, how do practices of truth-finding and truth-telling facilitated by Truth Commissions in Latin America, (potentially) prevent or promote the transition to peace, and how does Hannah Arendt’s political thought contribute to the debate? Truth Commissions and their final reports in Latin America (El Salvador (1992), Guatemala (1999), and Colombia (2022)) are read, interpreted and contrasted, along with their corresponding post-accord contexts, via a hermeneutical-phenomenological approach and in dialogue with Hannah Arendt’s work. Her political theory will be tested over against the experienced truth finding efforts in the cases studied. My aim is to contribute to the understanding of the relationship between truth, ‘transitional’ politics, and peace.

Daniel Moya Urueña