The Dutch state’s apology for its role in the slavery past : Dominant discourses and power relations in the seven apology speeches

Sammanfattning: This study takes a deeper look into the apologies the Dutch state made in 2021 for the role of The Netherlands in the history of slavery. This was done by the presentation of seven speeches by seven members of the Dutch government in the national archives in the European and the Caribbean part of the Dutch Kingdom. By means of a critical discourse analysis with a discourse-historical approach, we examined the different discourses in the speeches and the power relations that are hidden in them. The aim of the study is therefore to map out the different discourses within the seven apology speeches of the Dutch government and to track the power relations that are present in them. This is done by answering the following research questions: Q1. What are the dominant discourses in the seven apology speeches of the Dutch government for the state's role in the history of slavery?; Q1.1 What power relations can be found in the dominant discourses of the seven apology speeches of the Dutch government for the state's role in the history of slavery? Taken as a whole, the speeches show a willingness to take responsibility, but they also point towards the former colonization and the power relations that stand until this day.