Discussion Paper No.12

The Power of Justice, Justice as Power

Jon Lunn
(DESTIN, LSE)

September 2005

This paper reviews the ongoing debates about justice within the international human rights movement and the strategies that have flowed from these debates. It begins by briefly identifying the changing historical and social bases, and accompanying culture-ideologies, over time of key international players in this drama and examines how they have impacted upon the actions of governments and multilateral bodies such as the UN. In doing so, it charts the emergence of what can be termed the ‘power of justice/justice as power’ nexus that the author believes is now emerging.