Victims' stories and the advancement of human rights /

Meyers (Univ. of Connecticut) examines the prevalent ways victims' stories are used to advance justice. The philosopher argues that two perspectives have dominated victimhood--the pathetic model, which views victims as innocent but incapable of responding to evil, and the heroic model, which represents persons who have been subjected to human rights abuses but courageously oppose the oppression. According to Meyers, both approaches are inadequate because they presume the innocence of victims and tend to accept either the passivity of some or the super humanity of others. If victims' stories are to contribute to advancing human rights, a more realistic conception of victimhood is necessary. Using literary, ethical, and philosophical resources, Meyers describes in chapters 2 and 3 how victims' stories might be conceived in promoting a human rights culture, and in chapter 4, she highlights the role of empathy. Chapter 5 explores the political challenge of using victims' stories to promote human rights. Because of the book's abstract, theoretical nature, this rigorous study will be of interest chiefly to philosophers of human rights and transitional justice. It is recommended for academic libraries. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students and faculty. --Mark R. Amstutz, Wheaton College