Towards a risk perspective of transitional justice processes
Towards a risk perspective of transitional justice processes

Summary/Abstract: The evaluation of transitional justice processes has focused on assessing their effectiveness and efficiency with regards to attaining the objectives they were designed for. By focusing on positive or neutral effects, research has not yet systematically examined instances, where transitional justice processes had negative effects on the processes’ objectives. This article proposes to assess the effects of transitional justice through a risk perspective, which allows to incorporate the possibilities of both positive and negative effects on the referent object of their objectives. Using empirical examples from historical transitional justice processes, this article then proceeds to outline some of the mechanisms through which a transitional justice process can negatively impact the objectives it was designed for. This risk awareness contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of transitional justice processes and the article advocates to take possible risks into account when designing new processes.

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