Transitions from Violence. The Impact of Transitional Justice
Transitional Justice (TJ) refers to processes of dealing with the
aftermath of violent conflicts and human rights abuses in order to
provide for a peaceful future. It makes use of a number of different
instruments and mechanisms, including national and international
tribunals, truth commissions, memory work, reparations and
institutional reforms, which aim at uncovering the truth about past
crimes, putting past wrongs right, holding perpetrators accountable,
vindicating the dignity of victims-survivors and contributing to
reconciliation. In regard to its temporal focus, TJ is at one and the
same time oriented towards the past, present and future. As a
past-oriented practice, TJ addresses wrongs that have been committed
during a conflict. As a present-oriented practice, it establishes a
new ethical and institutional framework. And, through this, it seeks
to prevent the future occurrence of gross injustices and violence. The
concept of TJ has acquired a central place in transitional and
democratic discourses, as well as in political, sociological and legal
academic research.
With a number if TJ instruments being in place since the mid-1980s,
and an significant increase since the 1990s, it is now possible to
expand academic analysis from the modalities of their operation to
their impact on the affected societies. With a temporal distance of
five to seven years or more since the ending of some of the mechanisms
this Special Issues is concerned with the question if and how
transitional justice mechanisms live up to the high expectations
placed into them by various agents including, inter alia, human rights
groups, victims associations, new governments, international
organisations or international donors. In particular, we invite
contributions which evaluate the social, political and legal impact of
the following objectives of transitional justice:
- establishing the truth about the past
- holding perpetrators accountable
- vindicating the dignity of victims
- improve community relations in divided societies
- contributing to national reconciliation and nation-building
- preventing future violence
- establishing the rule of law and supporting democratisation
The objective of this focus section is to critically assess the actual
potential of transitional justice, what achievements have been
realised thus far, whether there are conflicting goals and which
inherent or external obstacles limit its influence and reach. Through
empirical case studies from across the globe we endeavour to paint a
diverse picture of the strengths and weaknesses of the approach.
Since research on transitional justice is spread across a large
variety of disciplines including sociology, politics, legal studies,
history, anthropology, gender studies etc. we welcome contributions
that combine different approaches. Moreover, given that the
possibility of measuring impact is highly contested we invite
contributors to reflect critically on the methodologies of their
empirical research and the limits of their findings.
Guest Editors of this focus section are Thorsten Bonacker, Susanne
Buckley-Zistel (both Philipps University Marburg, Germany) and Carnita
Ernest (Center for the Study of Reconcilation and Violence, Cape Twon,
South Africa).
The issue is projected to appear in 2/2012 (October/November 2012).
The deadline for submissions has been extended to September 15, 2011.
Papers should be 40.000 characters (incl. spaces) on length. For
further information on formal aspects, review criteria and details on
manuscript submission please visit the journal?s website at
If you have any further questions please contact the guest editors or
IJCV International Journal of Conflict & Violence
Editorial Office
IKG Institute for Interdisciplinary Research
on Conflict and Violence
University of Bielefeld (S5-118)
Universitaetsstrasse 25
33615 Bielefeld
Germany
http://www.uni-bielefeld.de/(en)/ikg/
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