Dissertation Proposal Defense - Sarah Federman: Corporate Accountability for Mass Atrocity: The Case of the French Railroads

Corporate Accountability for Mass Atrocity: The Case of the French Railroads
 

Jan 21st
10am-12noon

Room: 5183
Sarah Federman 

Description:
Between 1941-44, the SNCF (Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français), under the direction of the Vichy Regime deported 75,721 Jews to the German border where they were then taken to Auschwitz. Few returned. The company works to clear its name and make amends through open archives, research, and commemoration. While the SNCF seems to have made amends regarding its WWII participation with most of its local population and Israel, a vocal portion of the U.S. diaspora remains dissatisfied. A class action lawsuit based in NY has been in process for over ten years and legislation continues to be drafted in U.S. states (VA, MD, NY, CA, FL) creating barriers for the SNCF. This dissertation explores the SNCF’s role in WWII deportations, efforts to make amends, and reasons for on-going conflict in the U.S.

Specific research questions include:

1) Why are some U.S.-based diaspora committed to denying contracts to the SNCF, while the French and Israeli Jewish community seem at peace?

2) What does this case show about corporate amends and their limitations?

Through a narrative analysis of interviews and testimonies, this dissertation seeks to contribute to our understanding of how to hold corporations accountable for crimes against humanity in a way that meets victim needs and creates possibilities for greater corporate social responsibility.