Politics of Reparations and Apologies

The Politics of Reparations and Apologies examines the evolution and dynamics of reparation politics and restorative justice. By examining three different countries - Germany, United States, and Japan - and the groups victimized by each state, this volume shows the relative success and failure of the reparation attempts of these three nations. The volume introduces the key concepts, theories, and terms associated with various reparation movements, most notably the redress and reparation movement (RRM). Using the backdrop of international criminal law and normative concepts of reparations, the author establishes the backdrop wherein to analyze the role of reparations and apologies in obtaining transitional justice. The author then goes into specific detail, listing the historical factors and events leading up to the genocide of Jews and Romanis in Germany, the internment of Japanese-Americans and Japanese-Latin Americans in the United States, and victimization of the Comfort Women in Japan. In each instance, there is a detailed rundown of the political actions attempted to obtain redress and reparation for the victims, how successful the attempts were, and the crucial factors which have brought about the success or failure for the oppressed groups.With the increasing expectation of reparation justice as the norm in post-conflict societies around the world, this volume is a valuable starting point for researchers in international affairs and conflict studies, as a comparative framework of the actions that contribute to a successful outcome.