AV¶ÌÊÓƵ

Vendredi 28 mars 2025: Elena Patrizi

Abstract:

Reparation processes related to historical violations of children’s rights are becoming increasingly widespread internationally. In Switzerland and England, such violations have been the focus of reparation processes related to coercive foster placements and compulsory child migration programmes. However, even though these processes have been studied in fields such as law, political science and international relations, there is still a lack of analysis that explores which temporal representation of childhood prevails in discourses of reparation and to what extent such processes can be counted among transitional justice practices. This research aims to fill this gap by examining the main instruments that have characterised reparation processes, including official apologies, research commissions, inquiries, financial compensations and memorials. First, the research investigates which temporality of childhood emerges between ‘been’, ‘being’ and ‘becoming child’ in the discourses of the authorities involved in the reparation process. Secondly, it assesses whether such processes can be considered transitional justice procedures. By means of an analysis based on the literature of childhood studies, children’s rights studies and sources such as official reports, parliamentary debates and transcripts of hearings, the research demonstrates that reparation processes are based on a view of the child rooted in its past and future dimensions. It also highlights how the dimension of the ‘been’ child informs children’s understanding of themselves and contributes to a better appreciation of children and childhood. Analysing the processes in light of the literature on restorative and transitional justice, the thesis concludes that they represent a concrete form of transitional justice in democratic contexts.

2025