Spirits and social reconstruction after mass violence: Rethinking transitional justice

Abstract

A vibrant debate in the field of transitional justice concerns the relative ability of global, national, and local mechanisms to promote justice after violent conflict. Discussion largely focuses on more formal mechanisms of justice (courts, tribunals, or truth commissions), implying that state institutions and the law are solely responsible for shaping the process of social healing. This article suggests that scholars should take seriously more informal, socio-cultural processes outside the purview of the state, particularly for how they promote social reconstruction at the micro level. Examining the phenomena of spirit possession and ritual cleansing in northern Uganda, I illustrate how such efforts are expressions of injustice and reflect ordinary people’s attempts to seek moral renewal and social repair. This approach is particularly illustrative in cases where ‘intimate enemies’ exist - that is, settings where ordinary people who engaged in violence against one another must live together again.

Haunted by ghosts: Prevalence, predictors and outcomes of spirit possession experiences among former child soldiers and war-affected civilians in Northern Uganda

“…Although our data is consistent with the association of cen with impaired mental health, a reduction of this phenomenon to mere psychopathology is inappropriate. The clinical perspective taken in this survey must be complemented by sociological, historical and anthropological studies investigating the cultural and social interpretation of this phenomenon (Baines, 2010).…”

Global mental health and trauma exposure: the current evidence for the relationship between traumatic experiences and spirit possession

“…Social and cultural factors also seem to play an important role in the reported disease models and healing rituals related to PTD and other forms of pathological spirit possession. Concordantly, Baines ( 2010 ) has shown how organized violence, such as forcing children to join military forces, resulted in a collapse of kinship networks and social trust. When coming home, the returning abductees are confronted with strong community stigma.…”

Transitional Justice and Political Economies of Survival in Post‐conflict Northern Uganda

“…Firstly, mass violence was often perpetrated and suffered by civilians who knew one another — neighbours and relatives — and who, in the aftermath of the war, have had to co‐exist. Secondly, those who carried out violent acts as members of the LRA and those who suffered at their hands rarely fit neatly into either ‘victim’ or ‘perpetrator’ categories (Baines, ; Finnström, ). It was in this highly complex situation that different transitional justice conceptions emerged and intervened.…”

“…Baines () also discusses this in the context of northern Uganda. Kelsall () discusses it in the context of Sierra Leone.…”