The Politics of Transitional Justice in Latin America

Download or read book The Politics of Transitional Justice in Latin America written by Ezequiel A. Gonzalez-Ocantos and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2020-02-06 with total page 75 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How has Latin America pioneered the field of transitional justice (TJ)? Do approaches vary across the region? This Element describes Latin American innovations in trials and truth commissions, and evaluates two influential models that explain variation in TJ outcomes: the Huntingtonian and Justice Cascade approaches. It argues that scholars should complement these approaches with one that recognizes the importance of state capacity building and institutional change. To translate domestic/international political pressure and human rights norms into outcomes, states must develop 'TJ capabilities'. Not only should states be willing to pursue these highly complex policies, they must also develop competent bureaucracies.