On Behalf of Denmark, Sorry

Abstract

In this era, political apologies are more frequent and expected than ever before. Although historically, the Danish government has rarely issued official state apologies, there has been a significant change of this in recent years. Following Mette Frederiksen's (S) appointment as prime minister in 2019, a wave of official apologies began to emerge. This included an acknowledgment of past mistreatment of children in foster care that hinted at a new rhetorical and political practice. Despite the acknowledgment, questions have also been raised about the significance and purpose of apologies, including whether they can also function as political tools for branding. These questions has prompted interest in examining the relationship between apologies and apologia, the latter often being used as a defensive mechanism to protect reputation. In light of this, it is relevant to examine how successive Danish governments balance the need for reconciliation and rebuilding trust with their political visions through official apologies. This thesis aims to explore these questions through a case study of the five official apologies issued by the Danish state until now, focusing on their discursive and rhetorical dimensions.