The Politics of Official Apologies [Paperback]

Melissa Nobles (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 28, 2008

This book examines the political uses of official apologies in the United States, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Nobles explores why minority groups demand such apologies and why governments do or do not offer them. She argues that apologies can help to alter the terms and meanings of national membership. Minorities demand apologies in order to focus attention on historical injustices, the rectification of which, they argue, should guide changes in present-day government policies. When employed by political actors, apologies play an important, if under appreciated, role in bringing certain views about history and moral obligation to bear in public life.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a very interesting book on a compelling topic. Nobles makes a strong case that official apologies are under-appreciated and are worthy of sustained analytical attention. The book is well researched and written, solidly grounded in the relevant literatures, and innovative in its approach to its important subject matter. It is an accomplished and influential book that will have a substantial impact."
Robert C. Lieberman, Columbia University

"A book with interdisciplinary appeal, Melissa Nobles' The Politics of Official Apologies injects a sustained comparative dimension into the international discussion about the public use of history. The tension between nation-building elites and indigenous minorities who stubbornly refuse to assimilate is shown to renew the political culture of nation-states by questioning the terms of civic inclusion. At once intellectually rigorous and morally sensitive, Nobles' book demonstrates the potency of symbolic politics surrounding official apologies in Anglophone settler societies."
A. Dirk Moses, University of Sydney

"In our age of apology, Melissa Nobles expertly explains why apologies are given, why they are withheld, and the political importance they have. Nobles skillfully presents a theory of political membership that makes sense of why apologies arise and the political work they do. For those looking to understand the rise of public apologies, Nobles' book is the best place to start."
Jeff Spinner-Halev, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

"...a professionally executed and though-provoking explanation and interpretation of the role of such statements. Historians should be equally impressed and stimulated by this MIT political scientist's contribution to historiographical discussion." --J.R. Miller, University of Saskatchewan: Canadian Journal of History

"There is much to be learned from Melissa Noble's account of contemporary political apologies..." --Stephen Esquith, Michigan STate Univ: Political Theory Book Reviews

Book Description

This book examines the political uses of official apologies in the United States, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Nobles explores why minority groups demand such apologies and why governments do or do not offer them. When employed by political actors, apologies play an important and under appreciated role in contemporary politics and public life.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 214 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (January 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521693853
• ISBN-13: 978-0521693851
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #355,829 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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