International Courts And Mass Atrocity: Narratives Of War And Justice In Croatia (memory Politics And Transitional Justice)

The extra-legal effects of international and domestic war crimes trials continue to puzzle researchers and practitioners. In the former Yugoslav states, the legacy of conflict and issues of transitional justice remains central in politics, society and culture. This book provides a new theoretical and methodological approach to one of these puzzles: why universal human rights norms become distorted or undermined when they reach local publics. It investigates the social and cultural contexts that transitional justice processes take place in by looking at how emotional everyday narratives can hamper the spread of norms in society. In Croatia, these narratives define how the public understands the rule of law, history and minority rights. Ivor Sokolić is Research Officer in the Department of Government at the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK.-- Provided by publisher The extra-legal effects of international and domestic war crimes trials continue to puzzle researchers and practitioners. In the former Yugoslav states, the legacy of conflict and issues of transitional justice remains central in politics, society and culture. This book provides a new theoretical and methodological approach to one of these puzzles: why universal human rights norms become distorted or undermined when they reach local publics. It investigates the social and cultural contexts that transitional justice processes take place in by looking at how emotional everyday narratives can hamper the spread of norms in society. In Croatia, these narratives define how the public understands the rule of law, history and minority rights. Ivor Sokolić is Research Officer in the Department of Government at the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK.-- Provided by publisher "The extra-legal effects of international and domestic war crimes trials continue to puzzle researchers and practitioners. In the former Yugoslav states, the legacy of conflict and issues of transitional justice remains central in politics, society and culture. This book provides a new theoretical and methodological approach to one of these puzzles: why universal human rights norms become distorted or undermined when they reach local publics. It investigates the social and cultural contexts that transitional justice processes take place in by looking at how emotional everyday narratives can hamper the spread of norms in society. In Croatia, these narratives define how the public understands the rule of law, history and minority rights."-- Back cover Annotation The extra-legal effects of international and domestic war crimes trials continue to puzzle researchers and practitioners. In the former Yugoslav states, the legacy of conflict and issues of transitional justice remains central in politics, society and culture. This book provides a new theoretical and methodological approach to one of these puzzles: why universal human rights norms become distorted or undermined when they reach local publics. It investigates the social and cultural contexts that transitional justice processes take place in by looking at how emotional everyday narratives can hamper the spread of norms in society. In Croatia, these narratives define how the public understands the rule of law, history and minority rights Front Matter ....Pages i-xiv Introduction (Ivor Sokolić)....Pages 1-28 Transitional Justice as a Means of Deliberating the Past (Ivor Sokolić)....Pages 29-52 The Narrative of the Homeland War in Croatia (Ivor Sokolić)....Pages 53-82 Understandings of Law in Croatia (Ivor Sokolić)....Pages 83-113 Serbs in the Eyes of Croats (Ivor Sokolić)....Pages 115-140 War Veterans in Croatia (Ivor Sokolić)....Pages 141-164 An Atmosphere of Pessimism and Distrust: Comparison of Results (Ivor Sokolić)....Pages 165-182 Bosnia in the Croatian War Narrative: A Missed Expressivist Opportunity? (Ivor Sokolić)....Pages 183-203 Conclusion (Ivor Sokolić)....Pages 205-226 Back Matter ....Pages 227-229