Rethinking Concepts of Transitional Justice

Abstract

This panel proposes a rethinking of key concepts in the field of transitional justice, such as symbolic justice, hybridity and genocide. On symbolic justice, it examines how non-judicial forms of TJ, such as reparation and victim acknowledgment, may constitute a key element for social restoration. As for hybridity, it looks at the interrelation of the global and the local in TJ and the role of religious actors in these debates. The panel also analyses the mismatch between political, social and legal perspectives on the meaning of genocide. Furthermore, it also questions simplistic differentiations between victims and perpetrators, for example through the analysis of public perceptions of those accused in TJ processes and how the release of defendants in internationally driven processes has an impact at the local level. As for victimhood, it will explore how different constructions of this concept can have consequences for a potential reconciliation.