Introduction

Abstract

Abstract This introductory chapter discusses the problems facing South Sudan and the nation’s attempts to build peace. It traces South Sudan’s extreme violence to colonial times and argues that the years of war and party infighting produced a powerful dynamic of brute governance that has actively prevented both a moral reckoning with the past and future efforts of transitioning to peace and democracy. The chapter then discusses the challenges of national unity and peacebuilding and the prospects of hybrid justice. It also provides a summary and outline of the ensuing chapters, including how South Sudan might face new challenges and anticipate future world trends.