POL100: Introduction to Politics

Questions on Tutu

What political events in South Africa form the background to Bishop Desmond Tutu's defense of "forgiveness" in your reading? Note in particular his references to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (292).

Why does Bishop Tutu say that "[t]rue reconciliation is not cheap" (290)?

What does Bishop Tutu mean when he states that "[c]onfession, forgiveness, and reparation, wherever feasible, form part of a continuum" (292)? What is the relationship between the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and larger social change in South Africa, particularly concerning economic inequalities, according to Bishop Tutu?

Why does Bishop Tutu suggest that the U.S. should also allow oppressed groups an "opportunity to tell their stories" (294)? Do you agree with Tutu's suggestion? Why or why not?