This volume sheds new light upon the role of victims in the aftermath of violence. Victims are central actors in transitional justice, the politics of memory and conflict resolution, yet the analysis of their mobilisation and political influence in these processes has been neglected. After introducing and explaining the reasons for this limited interest, the book¿s chapters focus on a range of settings and draw on different disciplines to offer insights into the interrelated themes of victimhood ¿ victims, their individual and collective identities, and their role in and impact upon post-conflict societies ¿ and the politics of victimhood ¿ meaning how victimhood is defined, negotiated and contested, both socially and politically. Because it outlines a stimulating research agenda and challenges the view that victims are passive or apolitical, this interdisciplinary volume is a significant contribution to the literature and will be of interest to scholars from disciplines such as law, anthropology, political science, human rights, international studies, and to practitioners.

Vincent Druliolle is Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Sciences at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain. His work about the politics of memory and transitional justice in Argentina and Spain has been published in journals such as the Journal of Human Rights and the International Journal of Transitional Justice.

Roddy Brett is Senior Lecturer with the School of International Relations at the University of St Andrews, UK, where he directs the M.Litt in Peace and Conflict Studies. His research addresses political violence, peacebuilding and human rights. His latest book is entitled The Origins and Dynamics of Genocide: Political Violence in Guatemala (Palgrave Macmillan, 2016).

Chapter 1. Introduction. Understanding the construction of victimhood and the evolving role of victims in transitional justice and peacebuilding; Vincent Druliolle and Roddy Brett.- Part I: Defining victims and victimhood.- Chapter 2. Victims and victimhood in reparation programs: Lessons from Latin America; Jemima García-Godos.- Chapter 3. Franco's victims in Spain: The long road towards justice and recognition; Rosa Ana Alija-Fernández and Olga Martín-Ortega.- Chapter 4. The struggle for recognition of the stolen children and the politics of victimhood in Spain; Vincent Druliolle.- Chapter 5. What defines the victims of human rights violations? The case of the Comité Pro Paz and Vicaría de la Solidaridad in Chile (1973-1992); Oriana Bernasconi, Marcela Ruiz and Elizabeth Lira.- Chapter 6. The politics of victimhood at the grassroots level: Inclusion and exclusion among Peruvian victim organisations; Mijke de Waardt.- Part II: Victims in the political arena.- Chapter 7. Explaining compensation in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina: The case of victims of torture and sexual violence; Jessie Hronešová.- Chapter 8. Uncooked rice: Justice and victimhood at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia and beyond; Johanna Herman.- Chapter 9. The uses of suffering: Victims as moral beacons or icons of grievance; Marie Breen-Smyth.- Chapter 10. Reconciliation in the making: Overcoming competitive victimhood through inter-group dialogue in Palestine/Israel; Olga Burkhardt-Vetter.- Part III: Victims, democratisation and peace processes.- Chapter 11. The role of the victims' delegations in the Santos-FARC peace talks; Roddy Brett.- Chapter 12. Victims and survivors from Cyangugu, Rwanda: The politics of testimony after genocide; Rachel Ibreck.