The Composition of Apologies Depending on Offence Severity and Level of Publicity

Johanna Kirchhoff, Philipps-Universität - Marburg

As an instrument of conflict transformation apologies are consistently of interest. Success or failure of apologies seems to be considerably predicated on its composition. It can be suggested that the functioning of the apology mainly roots in the fact that its elements address relevant needs within the receiver of the apology.

This dissertation project is designed to illuminate how apologies give leeway to conflict resolution on the basis of their elementary structure depending on offence severity and level of publicity. In addition to this basic research the project plans an application of the findings to the possibilities of public apologies following war crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995.