Purity and Planning : Shared Logics of Transitional Justice and Development

‘Transitional justice' and ‘development' largely have unfolded in the contemporary world as parallel sociopolitical projects, with little apparent intersection or cross-fertilization. The discourses and practices that frame these two projects appear to be quite different - in their scale, their tactics and strategies and their value systems. Yet, it would be surprising if this clean division of labour in the efforts to remake (certain parts of) the world were not underpinned by a deeper, shared political logic and vision. Drawing on discussions at a recent workshop on transitional justice and development, as well as on ethnographic case studies in reparations and memorials in the South African context, this article examines the tensions and commonalities between the twin projects of transitional justice and development. It argues that achieving the respective goals of justice and development depends on an understanding - and critique - of the underlying social, cultural and political processes that connect and determine the outcomes of both these projects