Zachary D. Kaufman, United States Law and Policy on Transitional Justice: Principles, Politics, and Pragmatics

Abstract

Scholarship on transitional justice and international relations rarely intersect, as they appear to be considered part of distinct fields within the social sciences. Traditionally, the two are only brought together when international relations assists in illustrating a specific argument in transitional justice. Scant academic literature focuses on the direct relationship between the two subjects. This dearth of scholarship leads to a gap in the discussion of how states view and enact transitional justice as part of their foreign policies. Since the end of the Second World War, many states’ foreign policies have contained increasing elements of transitional justice. This increase in transitional justice usage requires a better understanding — especially with recent withdrawals by world powers from participation in armed conflict — of how transitional justice plays a role in international relations and foreign policymaking. In United States Law and Policy on Transitional Justice: Principles, Politics, and Pragmatics, Zachary Kaufman, a Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, adds to this literature by analysing foreign policy of the United States on supposed past commitments to enforce justice during and after conflict. Kaufman identifies international relations and transitional justice as components of how the United States reacts to crises such as genocide, human rights violations and terrorism.