As new social actors have emerged in Latin America, the process of dealing with the legacy of still-unresolved human rights abuses has been significantly reinvigorated. This powerful text provides the first systematic analysis of the second wave of memory and justice mobilization throughout the region. A multidisciplinary group of authors, many from the global south, consider the changed political, economic, and social conditions that have led to new forms of social action. They trace the growth of human rights groups as fundamental political organizations in the post-dictatorship era, the participation of public authorities in the investigation and persecution of human rights abusers, and the implementation of national and international human rights legislation. Pairing clear explanations of concepts and debates with cases studies, the book offers a unique opportunity for students to understand and interpret the history and politics of a range of Latin American countries.