A trans-scalar approach to peacebuilding and transitional justice: Insights from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Sara Hellmüller

doi:10.1177/00108367211059448

Abstract

Peace research has taken a local turn. Yet, conceptual ambiguities, risks of romanticization, and critiques of co-option of the "local" point to the need to look for novel ways to think about the interactions of actors ranging from the global to the local level. Gearoid Millar proposes a trans-scalar approach to peace based on a "consistency of purpose" and a "parity of esteem" for actors across scales. This article analyzes the concept of trans-scalarity in the peace process in Ituri, a province in the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Drawing on qualitative data from more than a year of research in the DRC, I argue that while a trans-scalar approach was taken to end violence, it was not applied to transitional justice initiatives. The result was a negative, rather than a positive peace. By showing the high, but still untapped, potential of trans-scalarity, the article makes three contributions. First, it advances the debate on the local turn by adding empirical insights on trans-scalarity and further developing the concept's theoretical foundations. Second, it provides novel empirical insights on the transitional justice process in the DRC. Third, it links scholarship on peacebuilding and transitional justice, which have often remained disconnected.

Highlights

Peace research has taken a local turn
Rather than leading to an emancipatory version of peacebuilding based on genuine cooperation between actors across different levels, the turn toward the local was said to deepen the imposition of liberal values because it came to mean that local actors should own externally designed projects (Hellmüller, 2012; Von Billerbeck, 2016)
While there was a consistency of purpose and a division of tasks according to comparative advantages across different scales for ending the violence, the same was not true for transitional justice where international efforts did not relevantly complement local initiatives because they pursued different objectives

Summary

Introduction

Peace research has taken a local turn. In a wave of criticism of the liberal approach to peacebuilding, a consensus emerged among peace scholars that increased attention to local actors, capacities, and perceptions was indispensable to build lasting peace (Autesserre, 2010; Mac Ginty and Richmond, 2013; Paris, 2002). I argue that while the efforts to end physical violence in Ituri were trans-scalar, this was not the case for transitional justice initiatives. I analyze trans-scalarity in the peace process in Ituri by comparing the approaches taken to end violence with those taken to promote transitional justice.

Results

Conclusion