TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE AND DEMOCRATIZATION

Estudios Globales / Global Studies

Curso 2025/2026

1. Subject Information

(Date last modified: 27-05-25 14:43)

Code: 140536
Plan: 405
ECTS: 6.00

Type: Opcional
Year: 3
Duration: Second semester

Language: ENGLISH

Area: -

Departament: Derecho Público General

Virtual platform: Campus Virtual de la Universidad de Salamanca

Professor Information

Professor: María Elena Martínez Barahona
Group/s: Único

Centre: Fac. Derecho

Office: 163B

Office hours: -

Web address: http://campus.usal.es/~acpa/

E-mail: embarahona@usal.es
Phone: 663088957 Ext.6960

Professor: Eduardo Barreto Martín
Group/s: Único

Centre: Fac. Derecho

Office: -

Office hours: -

Web address: -

E-mail
Phone: -

2. Association of the subject matter within the study plan

3. Prerequisites

Basic Political Science and Law concepts.

4. Learning objectives

This course will embark students on a global journey to explore the past, present, and future of human rights. It will bring:

An understanding of the current situation of human rights
The fundamentals regarding the human rights protection system
The ability to better articulate a self-opinion on past and current human rights topics
An understanding of how does transitional justice contribute to the rule of law and building democracy in post conflict and post autocratic regimes.

5. Contents

Theory.

1. Conceptualizing transitional justice

2. Truth Commissions

3. Prosecutions and amnesties

4. Reparations/compensation

5. Non-repetition guarantees

6. Special cases

7. The future of transitional justice

Practice.

The course deals with theory and practice. We will study each concept through readings and academic debates. Case studies will be selected to underline key issues of transitional justice theory and practice according with the questions considered during the course.

6. Competences acquired

Basic / General.

CB3, CB5, CG1, CG4

Specific.

CE4, CE13

7. Teaching methods

Each week is organized in two parts. The first part will focus on different theoretical aspects based on the literature. In the second session, we will work with different audiovisual material, readings, case-study. The aim of the course is to bring to the student the analytical and conceptual tools needed to understand and analyze human rights and the transitional justice process.

8. Anticipated distribution of the use of the different teaching methods

9. Resources

Reference books.

Barahona De Brito, Alexandra, Carmen Gonzaléz-Enríquez, and Paloma Aguilar (eds). The Politics of Memory: Transitional Justice in Democratizing Societies, Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2001.

Martínez Barahona, Elena and Martha Liliana Gutierrez Salazar. Transitional Justice and the Politics of Prosecuting Gross Human Rights Violations in Latin America. Handbook of Law and Society in Latin America. Rachel Sieder, Karina Ansolabehere, Tatiana A. Alfonso Sierra (eds). Routledge. 2019.

Olsen, Tricia D., Leigh A. Peine y Andrew G. Reiter. Transitional Justice in Balance. Comparing processes, weighing efficacy. Washington: United States Institute of Peace Press. 2010.

Roht-Arriaza, Naomi and Javier Mariezcurrena, eds. Transitional Justice in the Twenty-First Century: Beyond Truth Versus Justice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2006.

Sikkink, Kathryn. The justice cascade: How human rights prosecutions are changing world politics, New York: Norton. 2011.

Skaar, Elin; Jemina García-Godos y Cath Collins. Transitional Justice in Latin America. The uneven road from impunity towards accountability. New York: Routledge. 2016.

Teitel. Ruti G. Transitional Justice. New York : Oxford University Press. 2000. The Handbook of Reparations, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Other bibliographic references, electronic or other types of resources.

Reading material (list available in Studium)

10. Assessment

Assessment criteria.

General considerations

All students are expected to keep up with the required readings and to attend classes

Assessment criteria

All late assignments will not be evaluated

Evaluation systems.

Practical exercises and quizzes (60% of the final grade): will evaluate your analytical and practical skills along the course.

Final Exam (40% of the final grade): multiple-choice exam will include theoretical and practical questions. It is necessary to obtain 20% so this test can contribute to the final grade. In case of not reaching this minimum, you will have to repeat the exam in the second call, regardless of the score obtained in the other assignments.

Assessment recommendations.

Assessment recommendations

Attend classes. Do the readings. Do the exercises and other assignments on time. All late assignments will not be evaluated. If you do not upload your exercises, quizzes and research report before the due date you will not have another opportunity.

Academic dishonesty will not be allowed.

Guidelines in the case of failing the subject

You will have two opportunities to take the final exam. There are no opportunities to re-do all the other course assignments. Final grade will be a weighted in the second call in the same way that the first one.

Formulario de búsqueda