Violence, partisanship and transitional justice in Zimbabwe

Bibliographic Data

ID4968533
AuthorsMichael Bratton (Michigan State University, corresponding author)
Year2011
Volume49
Issue3
Pages353-380
Publication date2011-09-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Journal of Modern African Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-278X • E-ISSN: 1469-7777
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0022278x11000243
OpenAlexW2046289028
LanguageEN
Citations received23
References cited37

What determines people's willingness to consider punishment for human rights abusers? This article investigates this question in the context of Zimbabwe in the aftermath of the country's violent presidential election campaign of June 2008. Based on a national probability sample survey, the paper shows that exposure to violence was reportedly widespread and that attitudes to transitional justice are mixed. In considering how to handle abuses, Zimbabweans weigh the pros and cons carefully and, recognising that peace and justice are difficult to obtain simultaneously, generally prefer the former. The article analyses the various factors that together predict a citizen's proclivity to claim transitional justice in its most demanding retributive form. Reflecting power relations, the results indicate that political partisanship is almost as important as individuals' personal experience of actual and threatened acts of violence

Context (archaeology) · Criminology · Economic Justice · Geography · Human rights · Political science · Politics · Power (physics) · Punishment (psychology) · Retributive justice · Sociology · Transitional justice · African studies and sociopolitical issues · Cambodian History and Society · Law · Political Conflict and Governance · Psychology · Social Psychology

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