ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author gives an extensive background on the field of transitional justice. A vigorous debate in the field of peace studies, this chapter explores the challenges over placating spoilers or holding perpetrators accountable. In transitional justice, the author argues, the focus is not solely conflict termination. Rather, the attributes of the resulting peace matter, and what is done about the causes and consequences of conflict can be linked to the progress of a peace process. Using examples from a variety of cases, including Rwanda, Serbia, and South Africa, the author contends that transitional justice is necessary to achieve quality peace. The author notes that transitional justice is susceptible to magnifying the risks of continued and renewed conflict, contributing to a marginal peace marred by impunity, violence, and unresolved grievances. Yet these failings do not discount the need for victims to receive justice in order to move forward. Quality peace, the author argues, is best understood as a state of affairs in which conflict is dormant and unlikely, while everyone enjoys an existence that represents clear progress relative to what was previously experienced. Both involve long-term processes, and those processes include seeking justice for victims. The chapter urges further study to validate notable findings and reconcile conflicting results from the existing literature in order to clarify the interactions between transitional justice and peace.
