Chandra Lekha Sriram
Encyclopedia
Chandra Lekha Sriram is Professor of Law at the University of London
, School of Oriental and African Studies
(SOAS). She has written and lectured widely on conflict prevention, post-conflict peacebuilding, human rights
, international criminal law
, and transitional justice
. Her most recent monograph
, Peace as governance: Power-sharing, armed groups, and contemporary peace negotiations (2008), offered a comparative critical examination of the use of power-sharing incentives in peace process
es in Colombia
, Sri Lanka
, and Sudan
. Previous monographs on transitional justice and international criminal accountability, Confronting past human rights violations: Justice versus peace in times of transition (2004) and Globalizing Justice for mass atrocities: A revolution in accountability (2005); (reviewed in Human Rights Quarterly http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/human_rights_quarterly/v028/28.2ross.html>) examined transitional justice and internationalized and externalized criminal justice
processes in or for Sierra Leone
, Timor-Leste, El Salvador
, Honduras
, Sri Lanka
, South Africa
, and Argentina
.
Professor Sriram has co-edited or co-authored numerous books on human rights and armed conflict, including War, conflict, and human rights: Theory and practice (2009, with Olga Martin-Ortega and Johanna Herman)Human Rights Quarterly
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/hrq/summary/v032/32.4.morus.html>. Her co-edited volume Peace versus justice? The dilemma of power-sharing in Africa (2009/2010, with Suren Pillay) won a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title award in 2011; Managing armed conflicts in the 21st Century (with Adekeye Adebajo, 2001) ; From promise to practice: Strengthening UN capacities for the prevention of violent conflict (with Karin Wermester, 2003) and Exploring subregional conflict: Opportunities for conflict prevention (with Zoe Nielsen, 2004) .
Professor Sriram was professor of human rights at the University of East London School of Law
from 2005–2010, where she founded and directed the Centre on Human Rights in Conflict
, an interdisciplinary research centre devoted to work on the intersection between human rights and conflict prevention, resolution
, and peacebuilding
. As director of the Centre, she was principal investigator on several larger research grants, including, a large research grant from the British Academy
, on Rule of law in African countries emerging from violent conflict: Critical issues and cases (2007–2009), which produced the edited volume Peacebuilding and rule of law in Africa: Just peace? (with Olga Martin-Ortega and Johanna Herman, 2010) European Union Framework VII project on Just and Durable Peace by Piece (led by University of Lund, 2008–2011) , and a grant from the United States Institute of Peace
(with the Norwegian Human Rights Centre, 2010–2012) on Transitional justice as peacebuilding?.
Professor Sriram has consulted for the United Nations Development Programme
, Crisis Management International, Human Rights Internet
, the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue
, and other organizations. She was team leader of a team that produced, for the United Nations Development Programme, a guidance note on governance
and conflict prevention and early recovery, and is on the UNDP experts' roster as a human rights expert. From 2008-2010 she was chair of the Human Rights section of the International Studies Association
.
Professor Sriram directed the conflict prevention project at the International Peace Academy (now the International Peace Institute
, a think tank
which works primarily with the United Nations
) from 2000-2003, holding numerous conferences, workshops, and seminars with United Nations Security Council
member state representatives, and key departments, funds and agencies of the United Nations, academics, and representatives of non-governmental organization
s. From 2003-2005, she was a lecturer in the School of International Relations at the University of St. Andrews, after which she was a visiting associate professor in 2005 at the University of Maryland School of Law
.
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
(SOAS). She has written and lectured widely on conflict prevention, post-conflict peacebuilding, human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, international criminal law
International criminal law
International criminal law is a body of international law designed to prohibit certain categories of conduct commonly viewed as serious atrocities and to make perpetrators of such conduct criminally accountable for their perpetration. Principally, it deals with genocide, war crimes, crimes against...
, and transitional justice
Transitional justice
Transitional justice generally refers to a range of approaches that states may use to address past human rights violations and includes both judicial and non-judicial approaches. They include series of actions or policies and their resulting institutions, which may be enacted at a point of...
. Her most recent monograph
Monograph
A monograph is a work of writing upon a single subject, usually by a single author.It is often a scholarly essay or learned treatise, and may be released in the manner of a book or journal article. It is by definition a single document that forms a complete text in itself...
, Peace as governance: Power-sharing, armed groups, and contemporary peace negotiations (2008), offered a comparative critical examination of the use of power-sharing incentives in peace process
Peace process
Peace process may refer to:* in general:** Peacebuilding** Conflict resolution* specifically:** Northern Ireland peace process, efforts from c.1993 to end "the Troubles"...
es in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, and Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
. Previous monographs on transitional justice and international criminal accountability, Confronting past human rights violations: Justice versus peace in times of transition (2004) and Globalizing Justice for mass atrocities: A revolution in accountability (2005); (reviewed in Human Rights Quarterly http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/human_rights_quarterly/v028/28.2ross.html>) examined transitional justice and internationalized and externalized criminal justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
processes in or for Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, Timor-Leste, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
Professor Sriram has co-edited or co-authored numerous books on human rights and armed conflict, including War, conflict, and human rights: Theory and practice (2009, with Olga Martin-Ortega and Johanna Herman)
Human Rights Quarterly
Human Rights Quarterly is a quarterly academic journal established in 1979 covering human rights. The journal is intended for scholars and policymakers and follows recent developments from both governments and non-governmental organizations. It includes research in policy analysis, book reviews,...
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/hrq/summary/v032/32.4.morus.html>. Her co-edited volume Peace versus justice? The dilemma of power-sharing in Africa (2009/2010, with Suren Pillay) won a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title award in 2011
Professor Sriram was professor of human rights at the University of East London School of Law
University of East London School of Law
The School of Law is one of eight academic schools at the University of East London in East London, England. The School is home to the Centre on Human Rights in Conflict. The School of Law teaches six undergraduate courses and ten postgraduate courses...
from 2005–2010, where she founded and directed the Centre on Human Rights in Conflict
Centre on Human Rights in Conflict
The Centre on Human Rights in Conflict is a research centre based within the University of East London School of Law directed by John Strawson. The Centre was founded in 2006 by Professor Chandra Lekha Sriram...
, an interdisciplinary research centre devoted to work on the intersection between human rights and conflict prevention, resolution
Conflict resolution
Conflict resolution is conceptualized as the methods and processes involved in facilitating the peaceful ending of some social conflict. Often, committed group members attempt to resolve group conflicts by actively communicating information about their conflicting motives or ideologies to the rest...
, and peacebuilding
Peacebuilding
Peacebuilding is a term used within the international development community to describe the processes and activities involved in resolving violent conflict and establishing a sustainable peace....
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
, on Rule of law in African countries emerging from violent conflict: Critical issues and cases (2007–2009), which produced the edited volume Peacebuilding and rule of law in Africa: Just peace? (with Olga Martin-Ortega and Johanna Herman, 2010)
United States Institute of Peace
The United States Institute of Peace was created by Congress as a non-partisan, federal institution that works to prevent or end violent conflict around the world...
(with the Norwegian Human Rights Centre, 2010–2012) on Transitional justice as peacebuilding?
Professor Sriram has consulted for the United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
, Crisis Management International, Human Rights Internet
Human Rights Internet
Human Rights Internet is a non-governmental organization based in Ottawa, Canada, that supports the exchange of information within the worldwide human rights community...
, the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue
Centre for humanitarian dialogue
The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, otherwise known as the Henry Dunant Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, or the HD Centre proclaims to be:"An independent and impartial organisation whose motivation is to reduce human suffering in war...
, and other organizations. She was team leader of a team that produced, for the United Nations Development Programme, a guidance note on governance
Governance
Governance is the act of governing. It relates to decisions that define expectations, grant power, or verify performance. It consists of either a separate process or part of management or leadership processes...
and conflict prevention and early recovery
International Studies Association
The International Studies Association was founded by a group of scholars and practitioners in 1959 to pursue mutual interests in international studies. Representing eighty countries, ISA has over three thousand members worldwide and is the most respected and widely known scholarly association in...
Professor Sriram directed the conflict prevention project at the International Peace Academy (now the International Peace Institute
International Peace Institute
The International Peace Institute is an independent non-profit research and policy development institution based in New York. IPI specializes in multilateral approaches to peace and security issues, working closely with the Secretariat and membership of the United Nations...
, a think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
which works primarily with the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
) from 2000-2003
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
member state representatives, and key departments, funds and agencies of the United Nations, academics, and representatives of non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
s. From 2003-2005, she was a lecturer in the School of International Relations at the University of St. Andrews
University of Maryland School of Law
The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law is the second-oldest law school in the United States by date of establishment and third-oldest by date of first classes. The school is located on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore in Downtown Baltimore's West Side...