Table of Contents

1. Introduction; 2. Human rights as an ideology? Obstacles and benefits; 3. What Is moral remembrance?; 4. The institutionalization of moral remembrance: the case study of Palestine and Israel; 5. The institutionalization of moral remembrance: the case study of Western Balkans; 6. Human rights, memory and micro-solidarity; 7. Mandating memory, mandating conflicts.

Promotional Information

Lea David exposes the dangers and pitfalls of mandating memory in the name of human rights in conflict and post-conflict settings.

About the Author

Lea David is Assistant Professor and Ad Astra Fellow at the School of Sociology, University College Dublin. She has held the prestigious Fulbright, Jonathan Shapira and Marie Curie postdoctoral fellowships and established the Critical Thinking on Memory and Human Rights Research Group.

Reviews

'Learning from history is an obvious step for post-conflict societies. Yet, enforcing remembrance through a standard trope of techniques and scripted commemorations also presents its own challenges. Lea David walks us through the process of how apparent reconciliation actually might exacerbate conflict and tensions. This is a wonderful book that should be read not just by governments and scholars, but by all those who seek to remember and remedy past wrongs.' Miguel Centeno, Princeton University

'The Past Can't Heal Us presents a path breaking analysis of the limits of the global standardization of memorialization. The novel comparative analysis discloses ever-expanding fissures in foundational paradigms in Human Rights discourse and practice while grounding fascinating re-conceptualizations of ideology and micro-solidarity. David's provocatively critical and courageous voice permeates every illuminating chapter. A must read for scholars, students and laypersons alike.' Carol Kidron, University of Haifa

'Human rights are often seen as a panacea capable of curbing political extremism and social inequalities. In this wonderful and highly original book, Lea David shows convincingly that enforcing human rights policies in a world dominated by the nation-state model of social organisation is likely to produce the opposite effect: prescribed moral remembrance regularly generates more group animosity. This is an excellent, thoughtful and brave contribution that combines superb analytical skills with the comprehensive and meticulous empirical research.' Siniša Malešević, University College Dublin

'Her innovative approach and original argument mark an important scholarly contribution, inviting further research on globalization and memory.' Katarina Ristic, Connections: A Journal for Historians and Area Specialists