Exploring the role of memoir in dealing with the past: narrative victimology, 'quiet transitional justice,' and memory

Given the increased recognition of the role that non-state actors can, and do, play in transitional justice, this paper critically examines the perspectives of victims who have engaged in unofficial transitional justice initiatives with non-state armed groups. This paper builds on the concept of ‘quiet transitional justice,’ in which efforts to deal with the past take place behind closed doors (Dempster 2019). Mirroring the emergence of narrative victimology, we will use insights from victim memoirs to explore the victim experience of ‘quiet transitional justice.’ We will use a selection of memoirs written by a range of protagonists who have engaged in ‘quiet transitional justice’ efforts in Northern Ireland. These memoirs provide a valuable insight into key transitional justice themes such as memory, truth, and voice. We argue that this points to the potential utility of ‘quiet transitional justice’ for offering a victim-centric approach ‘from below’ in which victims are active agents – not only in telling their stories, but in articulating their individual needs and expectations.