Interrogating Transitional Justice: The Multiple Meanings of a Concept

Brigitte Weiffen () and Júlia Battistuzzi Penachioni
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Brigitte Weiffen: Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS), The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK
Júlia Battistuzzi Penachioni: Institute of Advanced Studies (IEA), University of São Paulo, R. da Praça do Relógio, 109, São Paulo 05508-050, Brazil

Societies, 2025, vol. 15, issue 5, 1-17

Abstract: ‘Transitional justice’ refers to the full range of efforts to deal with past human rights violations. Since its inception, the concept has undergone an immense expansion of interpretation as it has been applied to a wider range of scenarios in the field. This paper examines the dilemmas of transitional justice as a concept, showing how it has evolved over time and adapted to new contexts. After a brief conceptual history, the paper analyzes the two components of the concept, ‘justice’ and ‘transition’, followed by an examination of the contemporary challenges facing the concept. We argue that the evolving and multifaceted nature of transitional justice defies a singular definition, as neither the term ‘justice’ nor ‘transition’ fully encapsulates its scope. Although conceptual ambiguities persist and debates over its boundaries continue, the conclusion argues that the term remains analytically and normatively valuable and warrants further engagement rather than abandonment.

Keywords: transitional justice; conceptual history; human rights; international law; democratic transition; post-conflict peacebuilding; accountability; reconciliation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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