This book presents a novel proposal for establishing justice and social harmony in the
aftermath of genocide. It argues that justice should be determined by the victims of genocide
rather than a detached legal system since such a form of justice is more consistent with a
socially grounded ethics with a democracy that privileges citizen decision-making and with
human rights. The book covers the Holocaust genocides in Argentina South Africa Rwanda
Latin America and Australia as well as crimes against humanity in Italy and France. From show
trials to state- enforced forgiveness the book examines various methods that have been used
since 1945 to punish the individuals and groups responsible for genocide and how they have
ultimately failed to deliver true justice to the victims. The only way to end this failure the
book points out is to return justice to the victims. This simple proposition however
challenges the Enlightenment tradition of Western law which was built on the refusal to allow
victims to determine the measure of justice. That would amount according to Bacon Hegel and
Kant to a revenge system and bring social chaos. But as this book points out forgiveness is
only something victims can give no-one can demand it. In order to establish a lasting peace
it is necessary to re-examine the philosophical and theoretical refusal to return justice to
the victims. The engaging argument put forth in this book can help deliver true justice and
re-establish international social harmony in the aftermath of genocide. Genocide is ubiquitous
in the modern global world. It's understanding is highly relevant for the understanding of
specific and perpetuating challenges in migration. Genocide forces the migration of millions to
avoid crimes against humanity. When they flee war zones they bring their fears hates and
misery with them. So migration research must engage fully with the experience of genocide its
human consequences and the ethical dilemmas it poses to all societies. Not to do so will make
it more difficult to understand and live with newcomers and to achieve some sort of harmony in
host countries as well as those which are centers of genocide.
