At the Convergence of Transitional Justice and Art

This study highlights the untapped potential for convergence between transitional justice and art, particularly in addressing legacies of state-perpetrated violence. While both fields grapple with the challenges posed by the magnitude of atrocities and their traumatizing impact, they have rarely been directly linked outside Holocaust studies. The research focuses on cultural interventions like museums and memorials—such as Robben Island or the castles of Gorée Island—as key tools for postconflict reconciliation, yet notes that their role in facilitating understanding and official narratives is often under-theorized. By examining these sites through the lens of transitional justice, the study underscores the need for more rigorous analysis of how cultural interventions can support institutional transformation and social healing.

Cole, C. M. (2014). At the Convergence of Transitional Justice and Art. International Journal of Transitional Justice, 8(2), 314–322. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijtj/iju005