CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2011
| Author | Bagdonas, Azuolas |
|---|---|
| Title | The practice of state apologies: the role of demands for historical apologies and refusals to apologize in the construction of state identity |
| Summary | This dissertation examines apologies by state representatives for past human rights violations as part of the practice of state apologies, which is shaped by not only apologies given but also apologies demanded and refused. Since apologies for historical wrongs are often argued to be conducive to national and international reconciliation, thereby improving relations and contributing to lasting peace, the study examines why states sometimes refuse to apologize nevertheless, even when it is in their material interest to do so. This study argues that, unlike diplomatic apologies, state apologies for historical wrongs involve an expansion of state responsibility and require changes in state identity. Demands for historical apologies thus serve to not only to affirm the validity of the violated norms but also to challenge the state's view of itself. Such challenges may come from and thus influence state identity construction at three levels: domestic, bilateral and transnational. This study argues that states refuse to apologize when apologizing would significantly disrupt their self-narratives and thus threaten their ontological security. In support of these arguments, three cases are examined: the so-called Danish cartoon crisis in 2006, Lithuania's demands for Russia to compensate the damage of the Soviet occupation, and the transnational demands for Turkey to recognize the Armenian genocide. The three cases illustrate how ontological security concerns mediate the content and the scope of international norms by means of ascription, acceptance or rejection of responsibility. The study suggests that historical apologies take the practice of state apologies beyond the traditional framework of international law and, insofar as they require not merely adjusting or coordinating behavior but also rewriting self-narratives, they can also become sources of conflict, rather than a means for conflict resolution. |
| Supervisor | Astrov, Alexander |
| Department | International Relations PhD |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2011/iphbaa01.pdf |
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