Reparation programmes for redressing human rights harms form a central pillar of transitional justice. Reviews about the success of such programmes, however, remain mixed: in terms of outcomes, they often fail to meet the justice needs of affected populations; in terms of process, there is agreement about the importance of meaningful participation, but only a minimal understanding of how to carry this out effectively. To develop a sound theoretical framework to guide actors interested in developing reparations programmes, this chapter builds on the theory of relational justice to provide both an instrumental and legal justification for inclusive processes in the design, implementation, and evaluation of reparations programmes. We argue that reparative processes should be mindful of building and repairing relations, especially between affected populations and the government that failed to protect them. We conclude by proposing four criteria we believe are fundamental for taking a relational justice approach to reparations.

Relationship dissolution, or a breakup, is a common event rife with emotional and psychological consequences, and as such has increasingly become the subject of academic inquiry. Through an interdisciplinary approach encompassing empirical studies, theoretical models, and real-world implications, this chapter aims to offer a multifaceted understanding of breakup. To start, we will focus on defining breakups, considering that they are concepualized through various lenses: as a distressing life event, as a calculated decision, as a gradual process, and as an outcome metric for evaluating other relational constructs. Next, we will describe the most robust predictors of breakup, including characteristics of the partners, about the structure of the relationship, and about how the partners interact. We will next detail the process by which relationships end, how former partners cope with breakup, and what predicts post-breakup outcomes. Collectively, this chapter provides a sweeping review of the science surrounding relationship dissolution.

Given that relationship satisfaction is ultimately a cognitive phenomenon, social cognition likely plays a critical role in determining the extent to which intimates are satisfied with their relationships. This chapter begins with a theoretical description of the cognitive processes that determine relationship satisfaction. Following from this framework, the second section reviews work suggesting there are various benefits to thinking positively about one’s relationship. Nevertheless, the third section highlights work suggesting there are important limits to these benefits, such that they depend on qualities of the two partners, their relationship, and the broader context in which that relationship is embedded. The fourth section then introduces the possibility that distinguishing between controlled and more automatic forms of social cognition may offer insights into why such limits exist. The final section concludes by suggesting various directions for future research that may offer insights into how both controlled and automatic thinking shape relationship development.

Relationships are influenced by how and where they begin. This chapter focuses on the initiation of romantic and nonromantic relationships (e.g., friendships), including those initiated online. We discuss what types of people are selected as friends and romantic partners as well as the role of context in initial social interaction. First, we first explore the influence of geographic and virtual proximity in relationship initiation. Then, we offer homophily and predicted outcome value theories to understand why some people are more socially attractive than others, and why context influences social attraction. Next, we introduce social exchange and partner preference theories to explain why people are sexually and romantically attracted to others. We examine the similarities and differences between online dating and in-person romantic relationship initiation. Finally, we examine the conversational factors – both verbal and nonverbal – leading to attraction. We also discuss specific partner compatibility – that is, what makes two people "click."

In this chapter, we provide an overview of modern methodological approaches to relationship science that is both practical and accessible. We start with a “status report” on the field, outlining three popular methodological trends. First, we discuss the application of machine learning techniques, specifically random forests, to the field of relationships science. Second, we elaborate on the importance of multimodal data, describing studies incorporating physiological, neurological, and linguistic measures. Third, we briefly discuss nonstandard dyadic designs, such as the round-robin design and network analysis, which enable the examination of multiple dyads within larger groups. Throughout these sections, we provide recommendations for scholars who wish to implement these methods in future work. Next, we provide a description of two analytical approaches used frequently in dyadic data analysis – structural equation modeling (SEM) and multilevel modeling (MLM) – and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches. We also present a brief discussion of differences between statistical software programs and suggestions for when to use each.

In the current chapter, we review the research on close relationships done via the methodologies of neuroscience – in short relationship neuroscience (RN). Much of the research we review focuses on attachment (child–parent or romantic) and sexuality. Nevertheless, we aim to cover RN broadly defined. We start by framing our topic and providing a few working definitions. We then cover the various relational (attachment, interdependence) and neuroscience (social baseline theory, and the Functional Neuroanatomical Model of Human Attachment) theories, methodologies (MRI, ERPs, and genetics), and types of relationships (familial relations, romantic, friendships, sexual relations, etc.) used or covered in this subfield. We explore both positive and negative aspects of close relationships. Finally, we reflect on the bidirectional link and contributions between relationship science and neuroscience and suggest potential implications for mental and physical health and policymaking. We also outline some remaining issues and future directions for RN.

Proceedings before the International Criminal Court (ICC) can form integral parts of encompassing transitional justice processes for addressing international crimes. Therefore, the ICC’s principle of complementarity is essential to determine whether justice must be served and by whom – states or the ICC. In April 2024, the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor published its first Policy on Complementarity and Cooperation, which reflects a broader evolution of victims’ roles in international law: from non-recognition to justice actors with numerous rights and an independent voice in proceedings. It emphasises strategic partnership and vigilance as tools for diminishing the impunity gap and bringing justice closer to victims. This chapter examines the policy through the lens of generations of victim participation. It concludes that structural changes at the ICC are necessary to maximise the policy’s potential for continuous meaningful victim participation at all stages of proceedings nationally, regionally, and internationally.

There has been a growing body of research examining the longitudinal course of couple relationships. In this chapter, our goal is to synthesize and critically evaluate the research on long-term couple relationships, highlighting what we have learned and the advances that have been made to earlier work, while being inclusive of a variety of methodological and analytical approaches. We discuss early studies on long-term relationships; research assessing the different pathways of development as well as the antecedents, correlates and outcomes of various patterns of change; and the crucial role of self-help advice and intervention/prevention programs for fostering long-term couple relationships. We argue that although there has been progress in this area, the research still lacks much-needed diversity, and we consider broader limitations and directions for future research.

Chile is a paradigmatic transitional justice case illustrating the sequencing, coexistence, and intermingling of the types of victim engagement that this book examines. This chapter traces active (co)-creation by relatives in the search for the Disappeared in dictatorial and post-dictatorship Chile. It outlines the gradual accretion of different forms of engagement: denunciation and resistance, legal activism and political lobbying, and protagonism in calling for, and calling forth, a new state policy response in the form of a National Search Plan, launched in 2023. Analysing relatives’ participation in design of the Search Plan meanwhile reveals divergent and changing views about the relative importance of trials, truth, recovery, and identification of those still disappeared. Overall, Chile’s trajectory shows how many now-familiar categories of transitional justice demands were originally hard won from below. It also suggests the state may at times be needed to mediate between contrasting or contradictory victims’ voices.

As society continues to change, so, too, has the nature of social connections between people. This chapter, however, focuses on one relationship immutable: that people often maintain committed involvements with particular others. We begin by situating and defining relationship commitment within a modern social context. We review historical and current theoretical models of commitment, including coverage of hypothesized antecedents, emphasizing empirical findings on precursors of commitment since the last edition of the Handbook. We then turn to reviewing research on hypothesized consequences of commitment, again emphasizing empirical findings since the last edition. Recent research considering racial, ethnic, and cultural variations in commitment is also reviewed. We conclude the chapter by offering possible future directions for commitment research.

This chapter is a review of evidence-based relationship education (RE), meaning education to promote healthy couple relationships whose content is informed by the psychology of intimate relationships, and evaluated in methodologically rigorous trials. We describe two broad approaches to RE and their theoretical underpinnings: assessment with feedback and curriculum-based RE. The chapter analyses how RE can be tailored for different stages of the family life cycle and made easily accessible by using different modes of delivery (e.g., face-to-face, online, and via apps on smart devices). The effectiveness of RE approaches and the factors influencing RE effects are summarized via an umbrella review of recent meta-analyses of outcome research. We conclude that future directions for research and practice should include expanding the diversity of RE theory and content to address diversity in culture, life circumstances, and gender diversity of couple relationships; and extending the reach of RE.

People enact meaningful personal relationships using communication technologies. The current chapter overviews how technology and personal relationships are intertwined. The perspective of the chapter is centered on how people relate via technologies while recognizing the importance of understanding the technologies themselves and how they are used. The chapter has three main sections. The first examines how communication technologies are integral to relational communication across the course of relationships, and the second considers factors that shape the nature and impact of relational communication occurring via technologies. The third section focuses on both relationships and technologies by considering the contemporary notion of mixed-media relationships, which are enacted via multiple channels, often simultaneously. Finally, the conclusion of the chapter elucidates some key complexities and their implications for future research and theory, including the need to consider both technologies and messages simultaneously and the challenges of analyzing multimodal communication in relationships.

This chapter explores how in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as a non-transitional context, transitional justice discourse and logic is mobilised in diverse and innovative ways. While some justice initiatives explicitly adopt the rhetoric of transitional justice, others align with its logic and objectives without directly invoking the language. The chapter examines three key cases: how specific groups, such as youth, engage in transitional justice claims; how particular demands, notably regarding sexual and gender-based violence, shape justice efforts; and how transitional justice is repurposed in new struggles, including environmental justice. Through perspectives from eastern DRC, the chapter highlights how innovation and experimentation emerge in response to institutional limitations and contextual needs, ultimately questioning and expanding the boundaries of transitional justice as both a discourse and a practice.

This chapter examines the evolving engagement of the Syrian diaspora in Germany with justice processes through the lens of post-revolutionary diasporic consciousness. It focuses on the intersection between accountability for the Assad regime’s atrocities and the broader struggle against structural oppression and political exclusion in exile. Syrians living in the diaspora face a dual struggle. They address Syria’s violent past while grappling with marginalisation in host countries. Disillusionment with Universal Jurisdiction frameworks, coupled with anti-migration policies, has led to a shift towards grassroots and artistic practices that better reflect lived realities. As a result, Syrian justice efforts simultaneously mobilise and demobilise elements of different transitional justice approaches, rather than following a linear progression or standardised logic. Drawing on fieldwork conducted between 2019 and 2024, the chapter argues that the intersecting identities and positionalities of Syrian migrants shape intersecting justice struggles, reframing justice as a transnational, multi-faceted pursuit of recognition, inclusion, and agency.