The past two decades have witnessed the end of several civil wars and authoritarian regimes. In a period shaped by the ideal of democratization, in which more countries are emerging from deep-rooted conflicts, international attention is turning to the question of how societies with a grievous past face issues of accountability and reconciliation. How do societies deal with a past characterized by gross human rights violations? What kinds of processes—judicial as well as non-judicial—are most likely to generate a sense of reconciliation? Using an interdisciplinary approach, this book provides a systematic and comparative analysis of reconciliation processes in various societies that in recent years have made a transition from authoritarian to democratic rule, or from war to relative peace. Revisiting case studies from Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Asia through a lens of comparative analysis, shedding new light on how societies have dealt with their violent pasts, is essential reading for both scholars and practitioners concerned with human rights, transitional justice, or peace building.