Temporalities of Victimhood: Time in the Study of Postconflict Societies

Abstract

Natascha Mueller-Hirth 2Researchers in peace and conflict studies have rarely explicitly engaged with time and temporality. This article develops a temporal analysis of victimhood in a mature posttransition society, drawing on qualitative research with victims/survivors of gross human rights violations in South Africa. Two decades after the democratic transition, there is a prevalent understanding that it is finally time for victims to "move on." In contrast to the supposed linear temporality of peace processes, however, the consequences of past violence continue to impact on interviewees' lives and are exacerbated by contemporary experiences of victimization. I identify several areas of temporal conflicts that characterize postconflict societies: victimhood as temporary/victimhood as continuous; the pace of national reconciliation/the time(s) of individual healing; and the speed of a neoliberal economy/the pace of social transformation. I examine temporal hierarchies that reflect broader socioeconomic marginalization, such as being made to wait for compensation and social pressures of overcoming the past. This temporal analysis of victimhood thus not only highlights the mismatch between victims' needs and political and cultural expectations of closure, but it also draws attention to the temporality of transitional processes and programs at different social and institutional levels.

Beyond the Rape “Victim”–“Survivor” Binary: How Race, Gender, and Identity Processes Interact to Shape Distress

“…While some studies have shown that acknowledging as a victim of rape can, in some respects, be a positive step in the recovery process, others have identified negative effects of acknowledgment on mental health (see Littleton, Rhatigan, and Axsom ; Mueller‐Hirth ; Wilson and Miller ). We argue that these conflicting findings can be explained, in part, by the fact that mental health outcomes not only arise from labeling an assault “rape” but also from identification as a “victim” and/or “survivor” and from the interaction of these identities with other identities, such as race and gender.…”

Victimhood, Health Challenges and Violent Restiveness in Blood and Oil: Music, Characterization and Colours as Metaphors

“…In law and jurisprudence, scholars attempt to espouse on the social construction of 'victim' and 'victimhood' designations, how the various legal systems deal with cases and claims of victimization (see Pauley 1986;Harris 1991;Erez et al 2011). In the fields of sociology, politics and conflict studies, scholars focus on enhancing our understanding of the politics of victimhood and victim designations, claims and manifestations, how victimhood is defined, negotiated and contested, both socially and politically (see Kearns & Finchman 2005;Derluyn et al 2015;Jacoby 2015;Mueller-Hirth 2017). Our observation is that regardless of the academic trajectory from which a scholar attempts his/her interrogation of victimhood realities and conceptualization, the core meaning of victimhood appear similar, hence according to Claire Ferguson and Brent Turvey, victimology represents "the scientific study of victims and victimization, including the relationships between victims and offender, investigators, courts, corrections, media and social movements" (2009: 2).…”

Evidencia científica sobre posconflicto en el contexto iberoamericano

“…(Ortiz, Rettberg 2018), (Aguilar, Ramirez, Vargas, Calle, Vargas, Barrera,. 2015), (Gonzalez, Venturini, Poganietz, Finkenrath, Leal, 2017), (Maconachie 2016), (Zimmermann, 2017), (Granovsky 2017), (McAuliffe, 2017)., (DeTommaso,Lem 2017)y (Mueller, 2017) Colombia, Inglaterra…”