Diaspora Mobilization for Transitional Justice in the Absence of Transition: The Case of Syria

Transitional justice (TJ) is most often treated as a concept that ‘deals with the past’ and, consequently, focuses on retrospective institutional attempts at dealing with injustices. Therefore, less attention has been afforded to the study of how demands and claims of justice are pursued by non-state actors during conflict – especially under circumstances where there are ostensibly no visible transition occurring and mechanisms of justice seem remote. Why do diasporas continue to promote TJ when it seems unlikely that they will succeed? In this paper, we explore the underlying motivations for why the Syrian diaspora mobilize for TJ. By using reports from and qualitative interview data with diaspora actors and transnational activists with which they work, we identify the intensity, mode and content of mobilization in conjunction with conflict dynamics. What we find is that, despite unfavorable circumstances, the Syrian diaspora are persistent in their TJ claims for three reasons. First, they have a sense of moral obligation to do so. Second, framing claims in terms of TJ, human rights and international law is perceived as the best strategy to transform Syrian society. Third, TJ discourse is an avenue through which diaspora organizations may secure institutional survival.