Law

Justice During and After Conflict

Module code: M6045
Level 6
15 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Lecture, Seminar
Assessment modes: Coursework, Essay

Transitional justice broadly covers the many forms of accountability that have been developed to address mass atrocities during and after conflict.

Examples of this are:

• criminal trials before international criminal courts and domestic courts
• customary collective reconciliation processes (e.g. Gacaca trials in Rwanda)
• Truth Commissions (e.g. South Africa)
• Peoples’ Tribunals (e.g. Uighur Tribunal, London) or fact-finding commissions (e.g. Int Commission for Syria).

On this module, you'll develop your knowledge and understanding of:

• relevant substantive crimes (i.e. conceptually in law)
• relevant institutional processes
• the academic literature within the field of transitional justice studies (as broadly understood).

There will be topics within the module that may be more heavily drawn from either transitional justice or international criminal law fields or both.

Module learning outcomes

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the relevant substantive crimes and relevant institutional mechanisms tasked with addressing justice during and after conflict
• Demonstrate an understanding of the social, political and cultural contexts within which the relevant substantive crimes occur, and accountability is sought
• Critically engage with and reflect upon the academic literature within the relevant disciplinary fields in relation to justice during and after conflict
• Conduct independent research using primary and secondary sources