In REF 2014, we were ranked 1st in the UK for impact, with 100% of our research impact rated as world-leading.
Summary
The Transitional Justice Institute (TJI) has rapidly become internationally recognised, since its inception in 2003, as a leading centre in developing the field of transitional justice broadly, the study of societies emerging from authoritarian rule or conflict. The TJI supports research in transitional justice, and more broadly in human rights, public international law, and conflict resolution. TJI is led by Director Professor Rory OConnell and Associate Director Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin (joint appointment with the University of Minnesota).
The Transitional Justice Institute is the Universitys Research Institute for Law. In the UKs university research assessment exercise, REF, for 2014, Law at Ulster was ranked 4th in the UK overall. It was ranked 1st for impact, with 100% of our research impact rated as world-leading.
About
While rooted within law, TJI actively engages in and supports multidisciplinary research. As well as legal scholars, the Institute is home to scholars with backgrounds in fields of gender studies (Professor Monica McWilliams, Eilish Rooney, Dr Catherine ORourke), conflict resolution (Professor Brandon Hamber), political science (Professor Cath Collins, Dr Kris Brown), and sociology (Professor Bill Rolston).
TJI has an active, enthusiastic and strongly multinational group of funded doctoral students working on topics such as memory, victim identity and reparations in Northern Ireland; masculinities and gendered violence; civil society involvement in transition and peacebuilding; peacebuilding prospects in the Middle East; Colombian conflict and transitional dynamics, and equality and institutional reforms in transitions.
Each year, a limited number of competitive funded PhD scholarships are available for students. The School also encourages applications from self-funded students or students funded from other sources. UK PhD programmes are normally three-year, research intensive projects in which the relationship with a small team of supervisors is key. All prospective students are therefore encouraged to contact a staff member with relevant expertise in the area of the proposed course of research for advice on honing the academic content of their application. For details on the practicalities of the application process, student support, funding opportunities, research expertise of staff members, and suggested PhD projects, see the Law section of the Research Graduate School (Faculty of Social Sciences) website: socsci.ulster.ac.uk./gradschool/.