Shaping Plural Identities After Gross Human Rights Violations: The Role of Transitional Justice and Sites of Memory

Abstract

The aftermath of gross human rights violations remains a challenge for international legal mechanisms. Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives from legal studies, historiography and international relations, this article examines how transitional justice mechanisms – particularly international trials and the institutionalisation of sites of memory – can contribute to the construction of inclusive identities grounded in alterity rather than fear and violence. The analysis highlights how memory work, when embedded in legal and cultural frameworks, can prevent forgetting and support the recognition of victims. Using the case of Valongo Wharf, the article illustrates how symbolic and legal recognition of past atrocities can foster reconciliation and restore dignity. Ultimately, it argues that the integration of memory into international legal processes contributes to transforming difference into a foundation for alterity and nurturing the promise of a more just and inclusive future.