Research Information System
INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING, 2025 (SSCI)
This article examines the evolving concept of jus post bellum for guiding post-conflict transitions. While scholarly debates have produced a range of legal, moral, and interpretive approaches, consensus on its definition and scope remains elusive. Addressing this gap, we reframe jus post bellum as a flexible normative framework rather than a codified legal regime, capable of informing transition processes. We apply Eric Patterson's tripartite model - comprising order, justice, and reconciliation - to the case of post-conflict Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through this case study, we demonstrate both the value and the limitations of Patterson's model, proposing refinements that enhance its practical relevance for achieving sustainable peace in complex post-conflict settings. We argue that jus post bellum should be conceptualized as a context-sensitive normative framework guided by the interdependent dimensions of order, justice, and reconciliation, and further refined through additional principles such as proportionality, local ownership, inclusiveness, and gender-sensitivity. These refinements not only respond to the specific challenges encountered in Bosnia but also offer broader normative and practical insights for peacebuilding efforts in divided post-conflict societies. In doing so, the article contributes to ongoing debates on the normative value and practical application of jus post bellum.