The Barlonyo Massacre, Ongwen’s Trial, and ICC Reparations: Reflections on the Dynamics of Expectations and Disappointment

The International Criminal Court’s reparations mandate is a core feature of the court’s ‘more victim-centric approach’ to criminal justice. While there has been interest in victims’ expectations and satisfaction in regard to the court’s cases, scholars have focused on victims’ participation in trials and not how expectations and disappointment are influenced by investigations, the passage of time, and the promise (explicit or not) of reparations for non-recipient victim communities. This article engages with disappointment theory and economy of expectations to argue that more academic attention needs to be focused on the emotions associated with expectations to increase understanding of the effectiveness of the victim-centric nature of the reparations mandate.