CAHSS Faculty Articles

Donor-Driven Transitional Justice and Peacebuilding

ORCID ID

0000-0003-3937-0431

Publication Title

Journal of Peacebuilding & Development

ISSN

2165-7440

Publication Date

4-29-2016

Abstract

The prescription of transitional justice (TJ) has become the norm when societies emerge from violent conflict and/or political repression. Because of the realities of most post-conflict situations, funding and logistical support for TJ comes primarily from international sources. Post-conflict situations vary, but there has developed internationally a template of TJ tailored to attract international support and resources and a self-reinforcing dynamic is emerging: the international community insists that TJ processes must conform to international norms and standards, donors look to invest their monies in trusted mechanisms, a professionalised contingent of scholars and practitioners provides expertise and promises outcomes, and recipient governments, NGOs and other practitioners synchronise their performance with donor expectations and demands. This paper interrogates the ethical dilemmas when TJ is donor driven, points out some of the dangers when TJ is externally defined, de-contextualised, technicised and results oriented, and suggests some alternative ways of approaching transitions.

DOI

10.1080/15423166.2016.1146566

Volume

11

Issue

1

First Page

10

Last Page

25

Link to Full Text
Peer Reviewed

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