Unit name | Transitional Justice in the Aftermath of Conflict |
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Unit code | POLIM0049 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | M/7 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
Unit director | Dr. Roddy Brett |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies |
Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
In the aftermath of internal armed conflict, genocide, mass atrocity and civil war, societies and states seek to rebuild, and in so doing, to address and redress both the causes and consequences of protracted political violence and mass atrocity. Within this context, the emerging practice and discourse of transitional justice (TJ) and the newly enshrined rights of victims (to justice, truth, reparations and non-repetition), components that had been recently consecrated within international law and peacebuilding practices, have become key instruments. The wielding of transitional justice mechanisms (TJMs) seeks to guarantee the restitution of individual and collective dimensions of victims’ rights and represents a crucial weapon for victims of political violence, as well as a key instrument for states seeking to move forward from their dark and violent pasts. Globally, TJMs now assume a central role in the context of transition from violent and protracted armed conflict, as societies and states seek to re-establish effective rule of law, address gross and often systematic human rights violations and work towards sustainable peace and development. TJ processes instigated by the respective state, often with the support of the international community, emerged as a key priority for states undergoing transition from authoritarian rule, negotiating peace or implementing settlements in the wake of armed conflict. TJ practices have come to represent one of the cornerstones of the Liberal Peace - programmes and interventions that seek to guarantee victims’ rights are increasingly becoming a standard(-ised) component of the postviolence/post-conflict repertoire framed through the Liberal Peace. There has been a growing critique of TJ as reflecting the power relations and structures as Liberal Peace thinking and practice, leading some scholars to argue for a necessary and urgent reform and rethinking of TJ practices. In this context, new practices and thinking are emerging that challenge the conventional paradigm of TJ. This unit addresses the emergence and evolution of TJ thinking and practice critically engaging with the core theoretical scholarship and key case studies.
The unit aims to:
On successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:
The unit will be taught through blended learning methods, including a mix of synchronous and asynchronous teaching activities
Two pieces of summative assessment for this unit
- 25% 1,000 word essay - 75% 3,000 word essayAll assessments test all ILOs.