Transitional Justice and the 'Disappeared' of Northern Ireland

Reviews / Votes

'In her outstanding and richly researched book, Lauren Dempster narrates one of the most fascinating stories of transitional justice in Northern Ireland. At the heart of her story are the "disappeared" of the Troubles and the struggle of their families to uncover the truth about the whereabouts of their loved ones. In her masterful analysis, Dempster shows how selective immunity can contribute significantly towards the recovery of the truth for the disappeared, even under the most challenging conditions. Overall, this impeccably documented book is certain to become an important reference text for those interested in transitional justice in Northern Ireland and the politics of victimhood, broadly defined.' - Iosif Kovras, PhD, Reader (Associate Professor) in Comparative Politics, Department of International Politics, City University of London

'A granular, nuanced look at the efforts to deal with the aftermath of the Troubles, focusing on efforts to recover the bodies of the disappeared. The author writes with authority and compassion, with attention to the shades of grey that accompany civil conflicts, and the importance of trust and time in successful efforts to deal with the past. She shows how the effort to deal with one aspect of the past - finding the bodies of the disappeared - served to shape the larger discussion on transitional justice, for good and ill. A very useful book.'

- Professor Naomi Roht-Arriaza, Albert Abramson '54 Distinguished Professor of Law, University of California, Hastings College of the Law

'Dempster presents, in a meticulously researched book, the most extensive study of its kind on disappearances in Northern Ireland. Through the prism of "the disappeared," wider lessons for the dealing with the past are cogently explored. More broadly, the book takes on many transitional justice tropes, for example, issues such as "innocence" and "guilt," "complicity" and "perpetration." New ideas are introduced such as "quiet" transitional justice, opening novel avenues for reflection and scholarship. All this challenges the reader morally and intellectually, while reshaping the theory and practice of transitional justice more broadly.'

- Professor Brandon Hamber, John Hume and Thomas P. O'Neill Chair in Peace, Ulster University