From Transitional to Transformative Justice: A New Agenda for Practice

Transitional justice has become a globally dominant lens through which to approach states addressing legacies of a violent past, most often implemented as a component of larger efforts at liberal statebuilding. From its beginnings as a largely legal approach to human rights violations committed by departed regimes, understandings of transitional justice have expanded to encompass largely state-led practices such as trials, truth-telling, institutional reform and reparations processes. An industry of praxis has emerged, supported by dedicated NGOs and large-scale funding from Western donors. Yet, the performance and impact of transitional justice mechanisms has been at best ambiguous and at times disappointing – critiqued, for example, for treating the symptoms rather than the causes of conflict. This suggests the need for a new agenda for practice, one that offers a concept of justice that is more ‘transformative’.