CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2011
| Author | McGivern, Laurence Joseph |
|---|---|
| Title | War Crimes Trials and Reconciliation in Bosnia |
| Summary | The arrest of Ratko Mladic in May 2011 brought the issue of war crimes trials to the forefront of international news. Political leaders reacted with pleasure, hailing a victory for justice. Yet in areas of Serbia and Bosnia, the capture of Mladic sparked anger and protest. This mixed reaction highlights a problem faced by those who claim that war crimes trials serve to further the cause of justice and increase the potential for reconciliation between formerly warring groups. This thesis tests the idea that war crimes trials encourage reconciliation in war-damaged societies, assessing the causal mechanisms by which trials are supposed to affect attitudes towards reconciliation. Carrying out interviews and focus group research in Kljuc, Bosnia, I provide evidence that undermines the claim that war crimes trials promote reconciliation. The thesis argues that the conditions required for war crimes trials to have a reconciliatory effect on societies are not present in Bosnia. Consequently, the arrests and trials of those accused of war crimes, like Ratko Mladic, should not be treated as critical events that will bring about reconciliation and heal wounds in divided societies in post-war Bosnia. Much more work is required, especially in the areas of physical and economic reconstruction, as war crimes trials appear to have only a minimal impact on processes of reconciliation in the region. |
| Supervisor | Jenne, Erin Kristin |
| Department | International Relations MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2011/mcgivern_laurence.pdf |
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