The Long View of Transitional Justice: Apologies and History
Apology has emerged quite forcefully in the long-established democracies of Canada and Australia. In these countries, harms and human rights abuses began with colonial settlement and the displacement of Aboriginal people and continue up through the present day. Government apologies have helped to al...
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Published in | Social research Vol. 87; no. 4; pp. 943 - 963 |
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Main Author | |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
New York
Johns Hopkins University Press
01.12.2020
New School for Social Research |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Apology has emerged quite forcefully in the long-established democracies of Canada and Australia. In these countries, harms and human rights abuses began with colonial settlement and the displacement of Aboriginal people and continue up through the present day. Government apologies have helped to alter political landscapes by supporting and advancing political claims of Aboriginal groups. Apologies, once given, set in motion government and societal action that aim to instantiate their meanings. These political, economic, and social changes require explanation and defenses. Historical interpretations are frequently enlisted. There is a dynamic interplay between apologies and historical interpretation, which government apologies and their outcomes in Australia and Canada demonstrate. |
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ISSN: | 0037-783X 1944-768X 1944-768X |
DOI: | 10.1353/sor.2020.0071 |