Transitional Justice: Contending with the past

Speaker: Michael Newman

Chair: Dr Rachel Kerr 

What should be done after the end of a repressive regime or a civil war? How can bitter divisions be resolved in a way that combines reconciliation with accountability? These are typical questions within the field of transitional justice, but each of them is complex and contested and discussed in a wide range of disciplines.  In this seminar, Michael Newman draws on his new book, Transitional Justice: Contending with the Past, to explore some of the major debates and themes. He will argue that, while every situation is different, it is vital to contend fully with the past and address the fundamental causes of mass human rights abuses. 

Michael Newman is Emeritus Professor at London Metropolitan University, He has been teaching ‘War, Peace and World Order’, at NYU London since 2011. His new book, Transitional Justice: Contending with the Past, was published by Polity Press in May 2019, and Six Authors in Search of Justice: Engaging with Political Transitions was published by Hurst and Oxford University Press in 2016.