Worth £796,000, the grant will fund a three year project that will examine how governments and non-state armed groups develop reparations law in Colombia, Guatemala, Nepal, Northern Ireland, Peru and Uganda.

The project Principal Investigator is Dr Luke Moffett (School of Law and Institute Fellow), with Professor Kieran McEvoy acting as Senior Co-Investigator and Mentor. Professor McEvoy is the theme leader on rights and justice at the Mitchell Institute. The team also includes Dr Rachel Killean (Law) and Dr Cheryl Lawther (Criminology, also currently a Mitchell Institute Senior Fellow), as well as scholars from the University of Essex, Dublin City University and the University of Harvard, and the anti-torture Non-governmental Organisation REDRESS.

Dr Moffett said: "This is a large and challenging project on a highly sensitive topic. In addition to exploring some of the complex theoretical issues associated with victimhood and reparations, we are hoping that the grant will assist in making a real difference in some of the societies we are studying. For example, reparations are a central part of the ongoing peace process in Colombia and indeed remain a key contest in the broader debates on dealing with the past in Northern Ireland. I have been working with colleagues on a potential REF 2020 impact case study on the latter topic so this grant will contribute directly to that work."

Professor McEvoy added: "Queen's has a significant record for high quality and impactful comparative research on transitional justice and conflict transformation and this project will no doubt enhance that reputation. I am however pleased about this grant for other reasons. In particular, it is great to see the next generation coming through in this field. A key part of the rationale for the creation of the GRI was to foster a collaborative environment in which early career researchers could flourish. It is very pleasing to see that vision become a reality."