The objective of this Conference is to generate a better understanding of transitional justice's potential relevance within a counter-terrorism context and raise awareness amongst practitioners, academics, and policymakers on the potential uses of transitional justice in a countering terrorism context.

Focusing on the examples of Northern Ireland and Colombia, it aims to analyse what and how transitional justice mechanisms can contribute to reducing the terrorist threat in the long term, fostering national security as well as transforming victims and survivors into active actors of counter-terrorism, and promoting reconciliation.

The Conference will therefore build the necessary bridges between transitional justice and counterterrorism.  More precisely, the meeting will convene academic researchers from relevant disciplines and stimulate critical reflections on the interactions and divergences of transitional justice and counterterrorism.

Additionally, the topic will engage a multi-stakeholder approach, bringing together scholars, practitioners, policy makers, and civil society.

The Conference will consist of two panels: one focusing on Colombia and one on Northern Ireland and be complemented by two keynote lectures.

Speakers:

• Prof. Fionnuala Ní Aoláin (Professor of Law, QUB and Former UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism)
• Prof. Richard English (Professor of Politics and Director of the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security, and Justice, QUB)
• Prof. Josefina Echavarría Álvarez (Professor of the Practice and Director of the Peace Accords Matrix (PAM) Program at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame);
• Prof. Chris Maccabe (Honorary Professor of Practice of Conflict Resolution at the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice, QUB)
• Prof. Cheryl Lawther (Professor of Law, The Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice, QUB)
• Dr Lina Malagon Diaz (Senior Lecturer in Politics, Human Rights and Gender, UWE Bristol)
• Dr Beatriz Mayans Hermida (VU Amsterdam)
• Judge Catalina Díaz Gómez (Magistrate, Special Jurisdiction for Peace, Colombia)

The Conference agenda can be accessed here.

The Conference webpage can be accessed here.

Please note that this event is in-person and will take place at the T.M.C. Asser Instituut, R.J. Schimmelpennincklaan 20-22, The Hague, the Netherlands.

For enquiries, please contact conferencemanager@asser.nl.

This event is delivered in partnership with the Asser Institute and The Senator George J Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice, Queen’s University Belfast.

Financial contributors:

• Open Science NL
• British Embassy in the Netherlands 
• KNVIR 
• Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies of the University of Notre Dame