Exploring Variation In Diasporas’ Engagement With Transitional Justice Processes

Abstract

Despite the fact that displacement is often a result of civil war and government repression, diasporas have received comparatively little attention from transitional justice scholars. In particular, the agency of diasporas in building pressure for and articulating a vision of transitional justice has been underexplored. Diaspora populations often seek to influence opinion about justice issues in their home countries. They also seek to shape the foreign policies of their host countries. This article draws upon several cases from the Americas as well as Liberia and Sri Lanka in order to develop hypotheses about the conditions under which diasporas are likely to influence their home country’s transitional justice agenda. In particular, I identify the nature of the violence, the current status of the violence, characteristics of the diaspora, and the interests of the international community as important factors shaping diaspora interests and influence with respect to transitional justice.

Keywords:

• transitional justice
• diaspora
• Sri Lanka
• Chile
• Argentina
• Uruguay
• Haiti
• Liberia
• accountability
• human rights violations