Paul Gready Closed Now

Paul Gready is a globally respected scholar in human rights, transitional justice, and transformative justice, known for pushing the boundaries of how societies imagine justice after violence and inequality. As a professor at the Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR), University of York, Gready has pioneered research that blends academic rigor with real-world impact, particularly in settings dealing with mass human rights abuses and structural injustices.

Gready’s work challenges traditional transitional justice models that focus mainly on truth commissions and courts. Instead, he emphasizes Transformative Justice, a framework that examines deeper structural issues such as inequality, marginalization, corruption, and the long-term social conditions that fuel violence. This approach aims not only to address past atrocities but also to create fairer, more inclusive futures.

He has worked extensively in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, collaborating with local organizations, survivor groups, and human rights defenders. His fieldwork spans South Africa, Rwanda, Uganda, Nepal, and Myanmar, focusing on how communities experience justice and what models truly support healing and long-term peace.

As Director of CAHR, Gready founded and co-led the influential Transitional Justice Network, and he has guided major international research programs examining how justice emerges from grassroots movements, the politics of human rights, and the interplay between activism and state accountability.

Gready’s writings—including The Era of Transitional Justice, Transformative Justice, and The Politics of Human Rights—have become essential references in universities, NGOs, and policy circles. His work argues persuasively that durable peace requires attending to social transformation, not just institutional reforms.

Beyond research, Gready works directly with human rights defenders at risk, designing protection strategies and activism-based learning models that empower communities while strengthening global advocacy systems. His leadership has helped shape CAHR as one of the world’s most forward-thinking centers on applied human rights.