Holding out for the day after tomorrow: Futurity, memory and transitional justice evidence in Syria

This chapter analyses how expectations and reactions to possible futures in a conflict can exacerbate hardened positions and prolong fighting. Focusing on the war in Syria since 2011, it examines the dynamics of conflict continuation and expectations of the future with a special emphasis on collection of evidence for a transitional justice process, and how this information has influenced the political process. It also discusses the relation between the ‘archive’ of evidence about a conflict, on the one hand, and the narrative battles over its interpretation on the other. Through a close examination of the many Syrian and international groups working to document war crimes, the chapter suggests that political interests undergirding such efforts should be understood not just as investments in a possible future but also as significant interventions in conflict resolution and continuation. On the basis of this analysis, the chapter finally engages with theories of conflict continuation, and the possibility of transitional justice in Syria.