Transitional Justice

The Myths and the Realities of Transitional Justice

William Schabas, from the Middlesex University; Leiden University; National University of Ireland Galway, made a contribution to the 2012 Annual Conference of the European Society of Criminology, in the category “Plenary Speakers,” under the title “The Myths and the Realities of Transitional Justice”. Here is the abstract: Analogies are often made with restorative justice, but there are limits here because of the overarching political dynamic. Criminal justice and its cognates is being used to transform society, with the goals of peace, democracy and tolerance of minorities. Often there is tension because individual accountability, acknowledgement and truth do not necessarily promote reconciliation. Individual entitlements to justice must be balanced against broader social objectives. The author, who was a member of the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission, considers the strengths and the shortcomings of contemporary approaches to these problems.[rtbs name=”criminology”]

Resources

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Further Reading

• “The Myths and the Realities of Transitional Justice”, by William Schabas (Proceedings)