Gender and Political Apology: When the Patriarchal State Says "Sorry"

The book provides a gendered reading of political apologies, arguing that they are particularly excitable or uncontrollable forms of speech that rearticulate historically constituted gender norms. It examines two cases of interstate apologies for conflict-related sexual violence, Japan's for the South Korean comfort women and the US's for the Abu Ghraib scandal, and explores how they (re)negotiate and (re)make embodied gendered identities. The author argues that the ambivalent form of recognition offered by these apologies can empower gendered victims indirectly.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 166 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive and thought-provoking work offers a much-needed gendered reading to the increasingly important practice of political apology. By engaging in a detailed analysis of two cases of interstate apologies for conflict-related sexual violence – Japan's apologies for the South Korean comfort women and the United States' apologies for the Abu Ghraib scandal – the author demonstrates that political apologies are particularly volatile and uncontrollable forms of speech that are deeply rooted in historically established gender norms. Through the concept of legitimate victimhood, the author explores the performative ways in which political apologies (re)negotiate and (re)make embodied gendered identities. Ultimately, she argues that the ambivalent form of recognition offered by the performance of official apologies in these cases resulted in numerous unintended consequences, including opportunities for victims to demonstrate linguistic agency.

Political apologies for conflict-related sexual violence can therefore, indirectly, empower the gendered victims addressed.

This book will be of immense interest to students, academics, and researchers in the fields of politics and international relations, women and gender studies, memory studies, victimology, transitional justice, human rights, and peace and conflict studies. It will also appeal to policymakers, practitioners, and campaign groups engaged in justice for gender-based violence.

In conclusion, this book provides a valuable contribution to the study of political apologies and their gendered implications. By examining the complexities and consequences of interstate apologies for conflict-related sexual violence, the author offers insightful perspectives that will be of great value to scholars, practitioners, and policymakers alike.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367610296