Research Project > The Standardisation of Transitional Justice: Consolidation, Innovation and Politics > News

Project Publication in Law Journal: Transitional Justice Standardisation in Uganda

The Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law?has published an article by project member Thomas Obel Hansen, based on interviews and focus group discussions with a range of Ugandan transitional justice actors and affected persons.
Published by:
  • The Standardisation of Transitional Justice: Consolidation, Innovation and Politics (Research Project)
    • By: Line Engbo Gissel

    Entitled “The Local Impact of the International Standardization of Transitional Justice: Lessons from the Ugandan Case” and available online here, the article explores how the international standardisation of transitional justice (TJ) has impacted understandings and processes of TJ in Uganda. 

    Drawing on extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders in Uganda, the article observes that one consequence of TJ standardisation is that it can lead to a ‘tick-the-box’ approach, where the focus is on ‘formal compliance’ with the TJ script, while less thought is given to the prospects for meaningful implementation. This creates an appearance of TJ, which may be associated with national leaders’ instrumentalization of TJ for narrow political purposes.

    The article is based based on interviews and discussions with government ministers, officials, policy-makers, technical staff, judges and other legal sector personnel, representatives of donor offices and international organizations, academics, journalists, TJ practitioners and representatives of local and international civil society organizations, and community-members and persons directly affected by the operations of TJ.