HS 208F — Introduction to Transitional Justice

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
 

Introduces transitional justice as a field of research and practice. Over the last four decades, TJ has developed and spread across the globe as a set of theories, concepts, and tools to both understand and support countries emerging from authoritarianism and war. Most commonly associated with mechanisms like truth commissions, amnesties, and reparations, the field started as a focused set of tools tailored to the emerging democracies of Latin America in the 1980s. Today, it encompasses a rich and multidisciplinary field that spans continents and connects local, national, and international actors.

The module is divided into three sections. The first will provide an overview of TJ history, ideas, and mechanisms. The second will delve into some of the key debates that animate the field, exploring the relationship between TJ, peacebuilding, and the root causes of violence and conflict. Finally, the third will focus on the Module’s key take-home: more than a set of tools and mechanisms, TJ is best thought of as a movement, within which different actors struggle over the right to narrate history. We will end this section and the course with an in-depth look at the United States, where movements for racial justice and economic justice are incorporating TJ ideas and tools. Usually offered every year.

Peter Dixon