Violence so often begets violence. Victims respond with revenge only to inspire seemingly endless cycles of retaliation. Conflicts between nations, between ethnic groups, between strangers, and between family members differ in so many ways and yet often share this dynamic. In this study, Martha Minow and others ask: what explains these cycles and what can break them??;p What lessons can we draw from one form of violence that might be relevant to others??;p Can legal responses to violence provide accountability but avoid escalating vengeance? If so, what kinds of legal institutions and practices can make a difference? What kinds risk failure??;p"Breaking the Cycles of Hatred" represents a blend of political and legal theory, one that focuses on the double-edged role of memory in fuelling cycles of hatred and maintaining justice and personal integrity. Its centerpiece comprises three penetrating essays by Minow. She argues that innovative legal institutions and practices, such as truth commissions and civil damage actions against groups that sponsor hate, often work better than more conventional criminal proceedings and sanctions.
Minow also calls for more sustained attention to the underl