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Throughout history, expulsions and forced migrations have been recurring phenomena. However, it was in the twentieth century that these practices evolved into state-sponsored methods of domination, affecting people worldwide. In a globalized system of nation-states, political power was often seen as dependent on population homogenization, while ethnic or religious conflicts were frequently framed in biological terms. This led to radical disruptions of the social and cultural fabric of communities. As a result of these social engineering projects, unprecedented large-scale, state-organized violence occurred, including forced repatriation, ethnic cleansing, expulsion, and genocide.

In the aftermath of such events, the issue of redress inevitably arises. While reparations have the potential to play a crucial role in transforming violent situations into peaceful ones, they are often not provided, leaving victims of severe human rights violations and serious breaches of international humanitarian law without compensation. Against this backdrop, this workshop brings together an interdisciplinary group of scholars to explore reparations as a policy instrument for societies that have experienced violent uprooting and forced migration. Our effort stems from a recognition of the need for more comprehensive, evidence-based, and comparative research on a subject that could be vital for reconciliation and maintaining peace during periods of transition.

The keynote address will be delivered by Megan Bradley (McGill University) on "Citizenship, Alienage, and Irreparable Loss: New Frontiers in Redressing Displacement."

The workshop is jointly organised by the Weidenfeld Institute of Jewish Studies in partnership with the Jacob Robinson Institute for the History of Individual and Collective Rights at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. This collaboration is part of an ongoing effort to create a platform for discussing issues related to the redress of historical injustices.

It is taking place on Thursday 12 December 2024 3pm to 6.30pm, and Friday 13 December 2024 9am to 4.30pm.

See the full conference schedule here.

Posted on behalf of: Faculty of Media, Arts and Humanities
Last updated: Wednesday, 11 December 2024