Justice

This module explores the concept of justice and a democratic state’s responsibility to deliver justice for all its citizens as its means of demonstrating its legitimacy and strengthening confidence in its rule of law.

The film resource material in this module is divided into four strands which look in turn at:

• Ideal of Justice: Perspectives on what justice is and its relationship to the state.
• State As Agent Of Justice: Perspectives that see or saw the ‘Northern Ireland’ state as an agent of justice.
• State As Agent Of Injustice: Perspectives that see or saw the ‘Northern Ireland’ state as an agent of injustice.
• Outside The State In Pursuit Of Justice: Perspectives of people who went outside the state in pursuit of justice.

Strand 1 is introduced by a piece of film dramatising a context in which the need for justice is so acute it might fracture the relationship between a citizen and the state. The strand goes on to explore perspectives on what constitutes the ideal of justice. This is followed by Strand 2 which explores perspectives on the state as an agent of justice and Strand 3 which explores perspectives on the state as an agent of injustice. Strand 4 concludes the module with an exploration of perspectives of those who went outside the state in pursuit of justice.