Race, Violence and Citizenship

About this grant

The Center for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation works in the areas of transitional justice, criminal reform, victim empowerment, and reconciliation. Past efforts examined whether there is a relationship between the violence plaguing South Africa and the legacy of hatred, prejudice, and exclusion left behind by the country’s violent racial past. The center looked further at the initiatives addressing racial violence, the impact that these initiatives were having, and ways of preventing racially motivated conflict. It also developed its own equity principles, which has resulted in more people of color in senior management positions. This grant increase will provide support to expand the center’s work on issues of xenophobia and related intolerances. In response to the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa, the center has resolved to expand its work in this area and address potential underlying causes of the violence such as social and political marginalization and issues of identity, discrimination, and exclusion.