Description
Presentation - "Transitional Justice: Constructing Participation, Constructing the Participant"Abstract -
Contemporary transitional justice discourses emphasise the importance of participation in transitional justice processes as a way for those affected by armed conflict to make rights claims in the post-conflict space. However, despite the frequent discussion of participation in transitional justice literature, there has been comparatively little discussion of what participation actually means in transitional justice contexts. Andrea Cornwall has described participation as an “infinitely malleable concept” which can mean “almost anything that involves people”. Because of this, the meaning of participation can be changed to meet the demands of the context in question, and may be reconstituted to hold different and even contradictory meanings depending on context. This is problematic, because without a clear statement of what participation is or ought to be, it becomes difficult to improve.
As such, this paper seeks to problematise participation, asking what participation means in transitional justice contexts, and what our understanding of participation means for participants. To answer these questions, the paper adopts a novel methodological approach referred to as “critical spatial discourse analysis”, which involves understanding discourses as forms of space, mutually constituting law and legal subjects. Applying this method to UN documentation on transitional justice, the paper will explore how the discursive practices which emerge not only shape participation as a concept, but in turn constitute the participants of transitional justice. This method therefore allows for an understanding of what participation means in these contexts, and how those affected by armed conflict are able to engage with these processes.
| Period | 15 Apr 2025 → 17 Apr 2025 |
|---|---|
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Liverpool, United KingdomShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |