Introduction to Transitional Justice

Organization: Twige Project: Teaching about the Genocides in Rwanda and Guatemala
Common Core Domain: History-Social Science, Reading: Literacy in History and Social Studies, Speaking and Listening, Writing, Media Arts: Connecting
Grade Level: Grades 9-12.
Duration: 60-120 Minutes
1 - 2 class periods (75 minutes)
CA.HSS.10.10.1, 2, 3, 10.4.1, 3, 11.9.1 PoAD.12.9.5, 8 Acc.MA:Cn11

This lesson introduces students to the four pillars of transitional justice—Truth, Justice, Reparations, and Prevention—and examines how societies rebuild after genocide. Using the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda as a case study, students analyze transitional justice mechanisms such as trials, gacaca courts, memorialization, and reconciliation efforts, evaluating their roles in accountability, healing, and genocide prevention.

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