The Centre on Human Rights in Conflict Valerie Arnould Chandra Lekha Sriram TJDI Policy Paper 1, October 2014 PATHWAYS OF IMPACT : HOW TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE AFFECTS DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTION-BUILDING Executive Summary • Transitional justice measures are expected to address a wide variety of demands in societies emerging from authoritarian rule or violent conflict, including reconciliation, addressing the needs of victims, peace promotion, rule of law, and direct redress for specific abuses. There are also increasing claims that it can have an effect on democratic institution-building in such societies. • While there are numerous claims about transitional justice’s impact upon democracy, precisely how such effects take place – the pathways of impact – is often underexplored. • Three pathways through which transitional justice is expected to affect democratic institution-building are: delegitimation of past abusers and potential spoilers; promotion of reforms; and empowerment of previously marginalised actors. • A study of transitional justice processes in Brazil, Chile, Sierra Leone and Uganda shows that the evidence as to these effects is mixed and more modest than generally assumed. In some instances, transitional justice’s impact through these pathways has even had (unintended) negative consequences on democratic institution-building.