Description
Book SynopsisThis book considers the ethics and politics of state apologies made to Indigenous peoples.
The prevalent tendency to treat an apology as a speech act has maintained the focus on the state leader making the apology and not on the victims' claims. This book demonstrates the inherent shortcomings of this approach through an examination of apologies delivered to Indigenous peoples in Australia and Canada. Contrasting the texts of these apologies with Indigenous peoples'' responses, the book developsan understanding of apology as a relational process. This involves engaging Indigenous peoples in dialogue, the aim of which would be to address past injuries by fulfilling the apology''s transformative promise of ''never again'' to Indigenous peoples'' satisfaction. The book concludes byexamining more recent developments in Australia and Canada that highlight the continuing need for government accountability to fulfil this promise and ensure Indigenous people''s rights and interests ar
