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Unpublished Paper
State Apologies and the Rehumanization of Social Groups
Workshop on Ethics, Rights, Culture and the Humanization of Refugees (Edmonton, Canada), February 7-8 (2020)
  • Reza Hasmath, University of Alberta
  • Benjamin Ho, Vassar College
  • Solomon Kay-Reid, University of British Columbia
Abstract
Most state apologies are qualitatively about rehumanizing the apologizer and seldom the apologized social group, such as Indigenous, immigrant or ethnic minority cohorts. That is to say, the apology generally redeems, atones and/or restores trust in the state (the apologizer). Using historical and contemporary global case studies, this study bridges insights from the literatures about apologies, and truth and reconciliation, to discern best and worst communicative practices for state apologies that aim to rehumanize the social group. In this effort, the article poses three analytical queries: (1) How are state apologies different towards a social group when the explicit goal is to rehumanize the apologized? (2) What happens to the apologizer in such apologies? (3) What can be learned by jointly considering the literature on apologies, and truth and reconciliation, on how the state can communicate an effective apology?
Keywords
  • state apologies,
  • dehumanization and rehumanization,
  • truth and reconciliation,
  • indigenous immigrant and ethnic minority groups
Publication Date
2020
Citation Information
Hasmath, R., Ho, B. and Kay-Reid, S. (2020) “State Apologies and the Rehumanization of Social Groups”, Paper Presented at Workshop on Ethics, Rights, Culture and the Humanization of Refugees (Edmonton, Canada), February 7-8.