International Theory

Rectifying injustices against humanity: communitarianism, Ubuntu, and restoration

2026-08-07

How should we assess and judge the harm inflicted by egregious wrongdoing and how should we respond to such wrongdoings after they have occurred? These are the questions this contribution tackles from an African communitarian Ubuntu worldview that centres the humanity of everyone impacted in both its understanding of wrongdoing and remedy. It argues that restoration of shared humanity is regarded as the primary and ultimate function of justice in the African systems of political thought.

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DOI https://doi.org/10.1017/s1752971926100256