"This essay argues that communications and narrative must occupy a much more central part of the vision of transitional justice, as in the early years of the field. In some cases, the opportunity is ample, because a clear and inclusive nation-building project is underway. Then, it is critical for tr ... ansitional justice institutions to latch their work onto the project, so that a critical mass of citizens may internalise that work as an organic aspect of the broader process of reshaping the society’s values and identity. If transitional justice is not part of such a nationbuilding project – because it never existed or was abandoned – narrative becomes even more important. In these cases, the primary goal of the transitional justice institutions’ communications strategy must be more in the nature of community building, in the literal and normative sense of the term. Such work implies identifying and if necessary forging coalitions of the groups and individuals who are most invested in a larger nation building and value transformation process. This constituency can include victims’ families, survivors, civil society and youth groups, ethnic and religious leaders, and all those in the media, academia and politics who have a broadly shared vision as to why the legacy of past abuse must be faced and never repeated." (Page 1) more