Professor Colleen Murphy's book The Conceptual Foundations of Transitional Justice (Cambridge University Press) was recently reviewed in Perspectives on Politics, a leading journal for book reviews in political theory. 

Reviewer Bronwyn Leebaw (University of California Riverside) writes:

"...Contemporary debates on transitional justice tend to focus on specific policies, such as prosecution, truth commissions, reparation, and amnesty. Initially centered on choices of successor regimes in democratizing transitions, such debates expanded to encompass human rights norms and international policies. Given the mix of moral and political aspirations associated with transitional justice policies, and the diversity of contexts in which they are applied, many are skeptical of efforts to formulate general standards. Murphy agrees with those who contend that transitional justice is associated with distinct dilemmas, yet maintains that this should not prevent us from developing guidelines for assessing what makes one approach to transitional justice “more just” or “less just” than another. The Conceptual Foundations of Transitional Justice takes up the challenge of elaborating such a theory and outlines the basis for a radical shift in the focus of debates among scholars, policymakers, and activists."

Leebaw concludes that the book is "a rewarding intellectual journey, and offers a provocative framework for transforming theory and practice."

Read the full review.