At the century's end, societies all over the world are throwing off the yoke of authoritarian rule and beginning to build democracies. At any such time of radical change, the question arises: should a society punish its ancien regime or let bygones be bygones? Transitional Justice takes this question to a new level with an interdisciplinary approach that challenges the very terms of the contemporary debate. Ruti Teitel explores the recurring dilemma of how regimes should respond to evil rule, arguing against the prevailing view favoring punishment, yet contending that the law nevertheless plays a profound role in periods of radical change. Pursuing a comparative and historical approach, she presents a compelling analysis of constitutional, legislative, and administrative responses to injustice following political upheaval. She proposes a new normative conception of justice--one that is highly politicized--offering glimmerings of the rule of law that, in her view, have become symbols of liberal transition.Its challenge to the prevailing assumptions about transitional periods makes this timely and provocative book essential reading for policymakers and scholars of revolution and new democracies.

璐蒂．泰鐸(Ruti G. Teitel)

紐約大學法學博士，任教於紐約大學法學院，教授國際人權與憲法，同時是耶魯大學國際人權中心的資深書爾學人（Orville H. Schell Jr.），並擔任「人權觀察」（Human Rights Watch）歐洲與中亞指導委員會的會員，以及波士頓法學院的「猶太浩劫暨人權研究專案」的行政諮詢委員。常在各知名法學期刊上發錶關於人權、憲法與轉型正義的專題論文。