Renegotiation of social relations through public apologies to Canadian Aboriginal peoples

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to examine public apology as a socially acceptable means of institutional communication and the renegotiation of social relations that seeks to redress the power imbalance between the parties to this interaction. After presenting a basic definition of an apology as a communicative act and discussing the social relational implication of the public form of such an act, the paper examines one particular grouping of public apologies – those coming from Canadian Christian church denominations or communities seeking a renewed relationship with Canadian Aboriginal communities. A comparative analysis of the text and context of several of these apology interactions can provide some fascinating hints about the role of public apology in creating a new joint social narrative, affirming common moral norms, clarifying accountability for past relations and empowering the marginalized community through some form of compensation.

Citation

Funk-Unrau, N. (2008), "Renegotiation of social relations through public apologies to Canadian Aboriginal peoples", Fleishman, R., Gerard, C. and O'Leary, R. (Ed.) Pushing the Boundaries: New Frontiersin Conflict Resolution and Collaboration (Research in Social Movements, Conflicts and Change, Vol. 29), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0163-786X(08)29001-4