Genocide Apology

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Recommended: Write a essay on the concept of apology

The Politics of Apology – What are your views on moving on, forgive and forget or saying sorry [for any genocide].

“There comes a time in the history of a nation when peoples must become fully reconciled to their past if they are to go forward with confidence to embrace their future” (Rudd, 2008: p. 167).

The concept of apology is often linked to reparations in genocide studies (Lofstrom, 2011: p. 94). Scholars will question whether an apology or an admission of guilt is an adequate post-genocidal response. If an apology is not enough, then how does any institution, government or political group approach the issue of moving on from past wrongs? Does the very act of apologising help to mask the ongoing issues still faced by those who are oppressed? With reference to the Apology to Australia’s Indigenous People offered by the Federal Government on 13 February 2008, has this apology served its intended purpose, or is more work required to achieve an effective and lasting reconciliation between white Australia, and its indigenous forbears. To explore these questions, it is important to gain a wider understanding of the content of an apology, the purpose of an apology, and also to look more closely into the effects of apology in a specific circumstance.

Blatz, Schumann and Ross (2009: p. 221) identify 6 key elements that comprise a comprehensive apology. These elements are: remorse, acceptance of responsibility, admission of injustice or wrongdoing, acknowledgement of harm and/or victim suffering, forbearance or promises to behave better in future and offers of repair. These elements should be present in any apology if it is to have the desired effect.

Stamato (2008: p. 389) offers an interpretation of the purpose and effec...

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.... Axis rule in occupied Europe. New York: The Lawbook Exchange Ltd.

Lofstrom, J. (2011). Historical apologies as acts of symbolic inclusion – and exclusion? Reflections on institutional apologies as politics of cultural citizenship. Citizenship Studies 15(1):93-108.

Murphy, F. (2011). Archives of sorrow: an exploration of Australia’s stolen generations and their journey into the past. History & Anthropology 22(4):481-495.

Rudd, K. (2008). Australia, House of Representitives 2008, Debates, vol.HR1, pp. 167, accessed 22/3/2012, http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/genpdf/chamber/hansardr/2008-02-13/0003/hansard_frag.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf

Short, D. (2010). Australia: a continuing genocide? Journal of Genocide Research 12:45-68.

Stamato, L. (2008). Peace and the culture and politics of apology. Peace Review: A Journal of Social Justice 20:389-397.

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