Most current talk of forgiveness and reconciliation in the aftermath of collective violence proceeds from an assumption that forgiveness is always superior to resentment and refusal to forgive. Victims who demonstrate a willingness to forgive are often celebrated as virtuous moral models, while those who refuse to forgive are frequently seen as suffering from a pathology. Resentment is viewed as a negative state, held by victims who are not "ready" or "capable" of forgiving and healing. Resentment's Virtue offers a new, more nuanced view. Building on the writings of Holocaust survivor Jean Améry and on a critique if the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Thomas Brudholm argues that the preservation of resentment can be the reflex of a moral protest that might be as permissible, humane or honorable as the willingness to forgive. Taking into account the experiences of victims, studies of mass atrocities and the scholarship on transitional justice, Brudholm seeks to enrich the philosophical understanding of resentment.
| Place of Publication | Philadelphia |
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| Publisher | Temple University Press |
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| Edition | 1. |
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| Number of pages | 237 |
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| ISBN (Print) | 978-1-59213-566-0 |
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| Publication status | Published - 2008 |
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| Externally published | Yes |
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