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Rosoux, Valérie
2 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
For Valérie Rosoux, nations are not guilty of their pasts
Belgian researcher Valérie Rosoux, a political scientist and expert on international relations, ponders the purpose of official apologies in the process of reconciliation between states, or within a nation. "For some philosophers, such as Hannah Arendt and Paul Ricoeur, forgiveness is not necessarily private and individual, it can also take on political proportions. From this point of view, forgiveness is the only way to reopen memory without triggering resentment or the desire for revenge. Its objective is neither to add salt to a wound that cannot be healed, nor to rub out memories. ... Far from wiping out the past, forgiveness acts upon it. It is an attempt to modify it by giving it another meaning. ... Making official apologies cannot 'repair' damage suffered by individuals who have been affected in their flesh, or among their near and dear, but it can help relieve the pain of their wounds and in so doing give a future to memory."
» full article (external link, French)
More from the press review on the subject » History, » Global
Valérie Rosoux analyses Russian history according to Putin
The Belgian researcher Valérie Rosoux, who specialises in political sciences and international relations, is surprised to see Putin lauding a 'patriotic' approach to Russian history. "His desire to rehabilitate the communist past is based on two complimentary mechanisms: the underlining of the most glorious pages of the national past and the systematic playing down of darker episodes. ... Putin has recently highlighted, on several occasions, the importance for each Russian child to respect Stalin. ... What is the use of History text books? If it is just a question of reinforcing a strictly national identity, the Russian president is right to present a saccharin view of the past. If it is a question of developing the analytical skills of younger generations in order to allow them to detect the seeds of violence as early as possible, the whole past in all of its complexity urgently needs to be taken into account."
» full article (external link, French)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » History, » Russia
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