Micro and macro justice in the context of truth and reconciliation commissions

MICRO AND MACRO JUSTICE IN THE CONTEXT OF TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSIONS MAY 2006 CHRISTINE LILLIE, B.A., REED COLLEGE M.S., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Directed by: Ronnie Janoff-Bulman The present studies examined how micro (individual-based) and macro (societalbased) perspectives on justice influenced views of fairness. These constructs were examined within the specific framework of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa. In both studies, participants were given a description of the TRC and asked to judge the fairness of the process. In the first study, participants were given a writing task that primed micro-versus macro-level processing and were then asked to make judgments about the fairness of the TRC. In the second study, participants were asked specific questions about the fairness of the TRC that were framed at either a micro or macro level. In both studies significant effects were found for the manipulations, such that the micro-level groups perceived the TRC as less fair and the macro-level groups perceived the TRC as more fair. The paper includes a brief review of a field study that inspired the present research and explored percepfions and experiences with jusfice in Rwanda. Implications of micro versus macro perspectives for studying jusfice and fairness in postand current-conflict societies are