Past Events

Thursday, November 17, 2022
Cambridge World History of Genocide, Book Launch
Matt James, Political Science, University of Victoria
4:00-4:30 p.m. via Zoom 

Wednesday, September 29, 2021
How the History Wars Came to Canada:  The TRC and the Unanticipated Politics of Toppling Statues
Matt James, Political Science, University of Victoria
3:30-4:30 p.m. via Zoom 

Wednesday, October 27, 2021
Truth-Finding without Transitional Justice: Parliamentary Commissions of Inquiry in Turkey
Onur Bakiner, Political Science, Seattle University
3:30-4:30 p.m. via Zoom

Wednesday, November 10, 2021
Charting A Course to Measures of Non-Recurrence: The Possibilities and Limits of Customary Justice  
Isaac Bayor, Political Science and TJ Centre, Western University
3:30-4:30 p.m. via Zoom

Wednesday, January 26, 2022
The role and limits of transitional justice in Africa's incomplete decolonization project: Lessons from postwar Sierra Leone
Mohamed Sesay, African Studies, York University
3:30-4:30 p.m. location TBA

Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Ending wars, ending structural violence
Catherine Lu, McGill University
3:30-4:30 p.m. location TBA

Wednesday, March 16, 2022
Transformative Reconciliation
Kiera Ladner, University of Manitoba
3:30-4:30 p.m. location TBA

Friday, April 8, 2022
Operationalizing Virtue: How States Approach Indigenous Rights Issues
Karolina Werner, Western University, NEST Postdoc
2:00-3:30 p.m. via Zoom

Wednesday, March 16, 2022 
Transformative Reconciliation 
Kiera Ladner, University of Manitoba 

Thursday, March 24, 2022 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET
Ukraine: recent developments and Canada's response 
Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to violate international law and principles of international order. Join a panel of experts from Western's TJ Centre as they attempt to make sense of what is taking place and answer your questions.

Tuesday, March 1, 2022
The War in Ukraine: A Discussion
Russia's incursion into Ukraine violates international law and principles of international order. Join a panel of experts as they attempt to make sense of what is taking place and answer your questions.

Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Ending wars, ending structural violence 
Catherine Lu, McGill University 

Wednesday, January 26, 2022 
The role and limits of transitional justice in Africa's incomplete decolonization project: Lessons from postwar Sierra Leone  
Mohamed Sesay, African Studies, York University

Friday, December 17, 2021
Public Lecture: How can Local Transitional Justice Mechanisms Work Towards measures of Non-Recurrence?
Isaac Bayor (Ph.D. Cand., Political Science and Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Reconstruction)

Wednesday, November 10, 2021
Charting A Course to Measures of Non-Recurrence: The Possibilities and Limits of Customary Justice   
Isaac Bayor, Political Science and TJ Centre, Western University 

Wednesday, October 27, 2021 
Truth-Finding without Transitional Justice: Parliamentary Commissions of Inquiry in Turkey  
Onur Bakiner, Political Science, Seattle University 

Wednesday, September 29, 2021
How the History Wars Came to Canada:  The TRC and the Unanticipated Politics of Toppling Statues 
Matt James, Political Science, University of Victoria

Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Kirsten Stefanik, Western University
Understanding Armed Groups and their Members: A Path to Reducing Harm against Civilians during Conflict and Improving Post-Conflict Reconstruction

November 2019
Tracy Lemos, Huron University College and TJ Centre
Not Even People: Dehumanization of Prisoners in Antiquity and at the U.S. Border

Wednesday, October 22, 2019
Cerue Konah Garlo, The Carter Center ATI Liberia Program
Transitional Justice in Liberia

Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Katarzyna Korycki, Queen’s University
Memory as Politics and Resurgent Nativism

Wednesday, May 8, 2019
The Importance of Labelling in Transitional Justice: A Symposium
A day-long symposium considering the implications of how we choose to categorize different aspects of the transitional justice and post-conflict reconstruction process. Conference Program

Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Alison Crosby, York University
Beyond repair? Mayan women’s protagonism in the aftermath of genocidal harm

Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Ryan Liss, Western Law and TJ Centre
Limits of Sovereignty: Rethinking International Criminal Justice

Wednesday, January 23, 2019
Allison Cordoba, TJ Centre
Displaced Persons in Chocó, Colombia

Thursday, December 6, 2018
NEST Lecture: Rosemary Nagy, Nipissing University
Human Trafficking in Northeastern Ontario

Wednesday, November 21, 2018
TJ and the Law Speaker Series
The End of the ICC? Recent Developments in International Criminal Law

Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Rachelle Kouassi, TJ Centre
Exploring Post-Conflict Efforts to Deal with Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: Democratic Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone

Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Michael Coyle, Western Law and TJ Centre
The Transformative Potential of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: A skeptic’s perspective

Wednesday, September 26, 2018
David Crane, Syracuse University
The Complications of International Criminal Law

June 14-15, 2018
Conference: Exploring the Pre-Conditions of Successful Transitional Justice
The conference will consider whether and how particular activities and institutions could be put in place that would somehow undergird or shore up the transitional justice activities that will be convoked at a later stage. Recent work suggests that front-ending transitional justice processes with elements that somehow "cement" the transitional justice work will ultimately make it more successful. The goal of the conference us to better understand the importance of such activities.
Further details

Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Professor David Mendeloff, Carleton University
ICC Intervention in Civil Wars and Impact on Civilian Violence

Tuesday, March 13
“Women for Women in Transitional Justice: Gender and Sexual-Based Violence and Reparation”
TJ Club

Friday, March 9, 2018
Workshop: Exploring Forensic and Other Evidence in Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Reconstruction

Thursday, March 1, 2018
Allison Cordoba, Ph.D. Cand. Sociology and TJ
Symbolic and Material Justice: The Case of Displaced Persons in Chocó, Colombia

Wednesday, February 14, 2018
Professor Peter Neary, Professor Emeritus, Department of History, Western
Duties and Rights: The Intertwined British Columbia Lives of Ian Mackenzie and Zennosuke Inouye, two immigrants

Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Peruvian Military Cultural Interventions in the Post-Truth Era
Professor Cynthia Milton, McGill University

Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Nationalist Pedagogy, Canada's "Moral Advantage," and Justice Work in Literary Studies
Professor Donna Pennee, English and Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Reconstruction, Western

Wednesday, October 25, 2017  
Prosecuting ISIS
Professor Samar El-Masri, King’s University and Centre for Transitional Justice, Western

Friday, September 29, 2017       
The Politics and History of Slavery: Competing Visions of Rescue and Repair
Professor Joel Quirk, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Thursday, March 9, 2017
Gender and International Criminal Law
Sara Wharton, Windsor Law

Thursday, February 2, 2017
Lessons Learned from the Japanese Canadian Redress Settlement
Connie Sugiyama, Japanese Canadian Redress Foundation

Thursday, January 19, 2017
Mass Forensic Evaluation and the Mavi Marmara Incident
Elif Gunce, Centre for Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Reconstruction

Thursday, November 17, 2016
Settler-Colonial Relations
Ravi de Costa, York University

October 20, 2016 - Speakers' Series - "The Breakdown of the Control Model of Canadian Relations with the Aboriginal Peoples"

October 20, 2016 Speakers' Series - "The Breakdown of the Control Model of Canadian Relations with the Aboriginal Peoples"Sid Noel, Professor Emeritus, The University of Western Ontario and The Centre for Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Reconstruction

September 22, 2016 - Speakers' Series -"The Lubanga Trial and the International Crimininal Court"

Septermber 22, 2016 Speakers' Series
Jim Freedman, The Centre for Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Reconstruction 
"The Lubanga Trial and the International Crimininal Court"
12:30-1:30 p.m. in Social Science Centre Room 4255

June 15-18, 2016 — "Pathways to Reconciliation"

Watch keynote addresses from the 2016 Pathways to Reconciliation conference.

March 8, 2016 - Speakers' Series - "From Coup Reaction to Coup Prevention"

March 8, 2016 - Speakers' Series
Christopher Waters, University of Windsor
"From Coup Reaction to Coup Prevention"
12:30-1:30 p.m. in SSC 5220

February 25, 2016  - Speakers' Series - "Reimagining the ICC's Impact on Peace and Conflict"

February 25, 2016  - Speakers' Series
Mark Kersten, University of Toronto

"Reimagining the ICC's Impact on Peace and Conflict"
12:30-1:30 p.m. in SSC 5220


January 28, 2016 - Speakers' Series - "The Relationship between the Security Council and the ICC"

January 28, 2016 - Speakers' Series
Carrie Booth-Walling, Albion College
"The Relationship between the Security Council and the ICC"
12:30-1:30 p.m. in SSC 5220

November 12, 2015- Speakers' Series - "Revisiting the Problem of Selectivity in Domestic and International Criminal Law"

November 12, 2015- Speakers' Series
Asad Kiyani, Western University
"Revisiting the Problem of Selectivity in Domestic and International Criminal Law"
12:30-1:30 p.m. in SSC 5220

October 15, 2015 - Speakers' Series -"The Limits of Post-War Rehabilitation"

October 15, 2015 _ Speakers' Series
Brian Orend, University of Waterloo
"The Limits of Post-War Rehabilitation"
12:30-1:30 p.m. in SSC 5220

September 24, 2015 Speaker"s Series - "Tunisian Women at a Crossroad"

September 24, 2015 Speakers' Series
Samar El-Masri, Western University
"Tunisian Women at a Crossroad"
12:30-1:30 p.m. in SSC 9420 (Dean’s Boardroom)

March 19, 2015 Speakers' Series - "International Criminal Justice Grappling with Gender: Mistakes and Progress"

March 19, 2015 Speakers' Series
Valerie Oosterveld, Western University
"International Criminal Justice Grappling with Gender: Mistakes and Progress"
12:30-1:20 p.m., Social Science Centre Room 4255

February 12, 2015 Speakers' Series - "The Challenges of Post-Conflict Peacebuilding in the Congo/Uganda Borderland"

February 12, 2015 Speakers' Series
Lindsay Scorgie Porter, King's University College
"The Challenges of Post-Conflict Peacebuilding in the Congo/Uganda Borderland"
12:30-1:20 p.m., Social Science Centre Room 4255

January 15, 2015 Speakers' Series - "Thinking Beyond the 'Transition' in Transitional Justice"

January 15, 2015 Speakers' Series
David Hoogenboom, Western University
"Thinking Beyond the 'Transition' in Transitional Justice"
12:30-1:20 p.m., Social Science Centre Room 4255

November 20, 2014 Speakers' Series - "Transitional Justice and the Poverty of Politics"

November 20, 2014 Speakers' Series
Diane Enns, McMaster University
"Transitional Justice and the Poverty of Politics"
12:30-1:20 p.m., Social Science Centre Room 5220

October 16, 2014 Speakers' Series - “Hit or Myth? Taking a Critical Look at Some Popular Ideas in TJ Literature”

October 16, 2014 Speakers' Series
Alistair Edgar, Wilfrid Laurier University
“Hit or Myth? Taking a Critical Look at Some Popular Ideas in TJ Literature”
12:30-1:20 p.m., Social Science Centre Room 5220

September 18, 2014 Speakers' Series "Elite Circulation and Elite Reproduction: Elite transformation in Central Europe after the regime change, focused on Hungary"

September 18, 2014 Speakers' Series
Éva Ványi, Erasmus Mundus Scholar, Corvinus University of Budapest
"Elite Circulation and Elite Reproduction: Elite transformation in Central Europe after the regime change, focused on Hungary"
12:30-1:20 p.m., Social Science Centre Room 5220

May 8, 2014 - Truth Commission Conference "Evaluating the Impact of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada"

On May 8, the TJ Centre hosted a scholarly conference, “Evaluating the Impact of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.” Delegates from across the country considered the Commission’s impact across a number of different aspects of the Canadian landscape. These include the collective understanding of the legacy of colonialism; the role of the churches; the evolution of the term "reconciliation" in legal matters; and other important elements. Read more

May 7, 2014 - Free Film Screening of "We Were Children"

Wolf Performance Hall, London Central Library 7:00 p.m., All are welcome to attend. Read more

March 19, 2014 - Speakers' Series “Implementation Troubles: The UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement and Norm Diffusion”

Phil Orchard, Lecturer, School of Political Science & International Studies, The University of Queensland, Australia
“Reconciling Global Justice with Local Ownership: The Potential and Limits of the International Criminal Court”
12:30 to 1:20 p.m., Social Science Centre Room 9420

February 12, 2014 - Speakers' Series “Reconciling Global Justice with Local Ownership: The Potential and Limits of the International Criminal Court.”

Payam Akhavan McGill University,Faculty of Law and European University Institute (Florence)
“Reconciling Global Justice with Local Ownership: The Potential and Limits of the International Criminal Court”
12:30 to 1:20 p.m., Social Science Centre Room 5220

January 21, 2014 - "New Directions in Testimonial Discourse"

3:30 to 5:30 University College Room 224A
Featuring:  Dian Million (U of Washington), Julia Emberley (Western U) and Nandi Bhatia (Western U)
Co-Sponsored by the Postcolonial Studies Reading Group and the Department of English and Writing Studies

November 13, 2013 - Speakers' Series “Vertically-Integrated Peacebuilding”

Tim Donais
Associate Professor, Global Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University
"Towards Vertically-Integrated Peacebuilding: Bridging Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approaches"
12:30 to 1:20 p.m., Social Science Centre Room 5220

October 16, 2013 - Speakers' Series “War trauma and Psycho-Social Adjustment”

Alia Badri
Ahfad University for Women
"The ramifications of war trauma on the psycho-social adjustment of women: a tailored intervention program"
12:30 to 1:20 p.m., Social Science Centre Room 5220

September 25, 2013 - Speakers' Series resumes “From Classrooms to Conflict in Rwanda”

Elisabeth King
Fellow, Balsillie School of International Affairs
"From Classrooms to Conflict in Rwanda "
12:30 to 1:20 p.m., Social Science Centre Room 5220

April 2, 2013 - Claudia Lopez: "Building Peace in Columbia"

Doors Open at 6:30 p.m., Wemple Lounge at Kings University College.
Everyone is welcome.  Coffee will be served.
This event is jointly sponsored by the Centre for Social Concern, Centre for Transitional Justice and Post Conflict Reconstruction and SURLA Org.

March 21, 2013 - Speakers' Series "Turkey's Kurdish Predicament"

Tozun Bahcheli
Chairperson, Political Science, King’s University College
"Turkey's Kurdish Predicament"
Noon to 1:00 p.m., Social Science Centre Room 4255

March 7, 2013 - A People Uncounted 

Director, producer, and writer Aaron Yeger will be screening his new documentary A People Uncounted followed by a Q & A.
The event takes place in University College Room 224 (Conron Hall) at 6:00 p.m.  It is co-sponsored by WSFR and the TJ Centre.

February 28, 2013 - Speakers' Series “Testimonial Knowledge”

Julia Emberley
Professor, English and Womens' Studies and Feminist Research, Western University
“Explosions, the Birth of Testimonial Knowledge, and ‘Auto-destruction’ in Walid Raad’s The Atlas Group”
Noon to 1:00 p.m., Social Science Centre Room 4255

February 7, 2013 - Speakers' Series “Khmer Rouge Trials”

John Ciorciari
Assistant Professor at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan
"Hybrid Justice:  Lessons Learned from the Khmer Rouge Trials"
Noon to 1:00 p.m., Social Science Centre Room 4255

January 24, 2013 - Speakers' Series “Legacies of Transitional Justice”

Rachel Kerr
Senior Lecturer, Department of War Studies, King’s College London, England, and
Visiting Research Associate at the Centre for International Policy Studies & Adjunct Professor, University of Ottawa
“Trials and Tribulations: Legacies of Transitional Justice”
Noon to 1:00 p.m., Social Science Centre Room 4255

November 15, 2012 - Speakers' Series “Somali Xeer or Customary Law”

Rahma Abdulkadir
Research Assistant Professor, New York University (Abu Dhabi)
"Can the Somali xeer or customary law lead to a model of transitional justice that accounts for Somali women’s voice?"
Noon - 1:00 pm, Social Science Centre Room 4161

October 25, 2012 - Speakers' Series “Healing, Truth, and Reconciliation Education”

Jonathan Dewar
Director, Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, and Special Advisor to the President for the REsidential Schools Legacy, Algoma University
"Serving Survivors and Community through Residential Schools Healing, Truth, and Reconciliation Research and Education"
Noon to 1:00 pm, Social Science Centre Room 9420

September 28, 2012 - Speakers' Series “Lessons from the Kenyan Truth Commission"

Patricia Nyaundi
Advocate, CEO, Kenyan Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission
"Embracing Gendered Dimensions to Truth Telling:  Lessons from the Kenyan Truth Commission"
Noon to 1:00 pm, Social Science Centre Room 4255

April 25, 2012 - Gender and Transitional Justice Conference

Wednesday, April 25th, 8:45 am - 5:00 pm, University College, Room 224 (Conron Hall)
 
Keynote Speaker: Debra Bergoffen, George Mason University / American University
Panel: Gender and the International Criminal Court:
Valerie Oosterveld (Western, Law)
Neha Jain (Law, Georgetown)
Doris Buss (Law, Carleton)
Panel: Gender and Canada’s Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission:
Kim Stanton (Stanton Legal, Toronto)
Jennifer Llewellyn (Law, Dalhousie)
Cheryl Suzack (English, Toronto)
Panel: Gender, Reparations, and Public Apologies
Alice MacLachlan (Philosophy, York)
Dyan Mazurana (Law/International Centre, Tufts)
Brandon Hamber (Ulster)
Panel: “Justice”-Seeking
Nicole Ephgrave (WSFR, Western)
Tamara Hinan (Political Science, Western)
Emily Rosser (Gender, Feminist and Women’s Studies, York)
Panel: Understanding the Gender Dimension in Conflict-Affected Societies
Allison Bryan (Sociology, Western)
Kevin Lamont (Political Science, Western)
Guo Wan (Crime and Criminal Justice Policy, Guelph)

View the conference poster.