Alexander Lionel Boraine was born in Cape Town on 10 January 1931. He received the BA degree from Rhodes University (1956), followed by the MA degree (Oxford, 1962) and the PhD in Systematic Theology and Biblical Studies (Drew University, 1966). In 1956 he was ordained as a minister in the Methodist Church, and was elected president of the Methodist Church of South Africa in 1970. In 1974 he was elected to parliament as parliamentary member for the opposition Progressive Party. He was re-elected in 1977 and 1981. In 1986 he resigned from parliament and established IDASA (Institute for Democracy in South Africa). In 1994 he established the Institute for Justice in Transition (IJT) and served as executive director until the end of December, 1995, whereafter he was appointed to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). He served the TRC as deputy chairperson until August 1998. From 1999 until 2005 he lectured in law at New York University, and served as president of ICTJ (International Centre for Transitional Justice) from 2001 to mid-2004. From 2004 until the date of writing he has served as chairman of ICTJ’s board.