Performing Absolution Narratives in Restorative Justice

Ida Helene Asmussen

doi:10.1080/20504721.2015.1049870

Performing Absolution Narratives in Restorative Justice

WELMA - Centre for Legal Studies in Welfare and Market

Abstract

Based on Goffman's notion of people performing contextually preferred identities, a qualitative study of victim–offender mediation shows that the roles adopted in mediation sessions reflect a moral assessment of the situation. This assessment is structured by a confessional ethos, including demanding remorse from the perpetrator and mercy from the victim. The powerful idea of confession and forgiveness as liberating and emancipative is seen as part of a Foucauldian, neoliberal effort working toward the same end as regular criminal proceedings: creating law-abiding citizens. However, creating law-abiding citizens is not encouraged through judiciary processes, sentencing and imprisonment, but by stimulating an inner, panoptic judge of conscience, motivating the perpetrator to remain within the law.

Translated title of the contribution	Syndsforladelse i genoprettende ret
Original language	English
Journal	Restorative Justice
Volume	3
Issue number	1 Routledge
Pages (from-to)	28-48
Number of pages	21
ISSN	2050-4721
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/20504721.2015.1049870
Publication status	Published - 11 Sept 2015

Keywords

Faculty of Law
Restorative justice
Mediation
Religious aspects
Goffman
Foucault
Interactionism
Neoliberalism
Pastoral power

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1080/20504721.2015.1049870

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/20504721.2015.1049870Licence: Unspecified

8 Lecture and oral contribution
1 Organisation of and participation in conference
1 Other (prizes, external teaching and other activities) - Other

Skriftemålets genkomst: Anger og bod i 21. århundrede
Asmussen, I. H. (Lecturer)
17 Nov 2015
Activity: Talk or presentation types › Lecture and oral contribution
Stigmatisering af kriminelle: empatien på prøve
Asmussen, I. H. (Lecturer)
14 Apr 2015
Activity: Talk or presentation types › Lecture and oral contribution
Oplægsholder og paneldeltager: Deatarrangement på jur.fak.ved Dagbladet Information
Asmussen, I. H. (Participant)
25 Feb 2015
Activity: Other activity types › Other (prizes, external teaching and other activities) - Other
Religiøse og terapeutiske narrativer i konfliktråd
Asmussen, I. H. (Lecturer)
14 Jan 2015
Activity: Talk or presentation types › Lecture and oral contribution

Cite this

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title = "Performing Absolution Narratives in Restorative Justice",

abstract = "Based on Goffman's notion of people performing contextually preferred identities, a qualitative study of victim–offender mediation shows that the roles adopted in mediation sessions reflect a moral assessment of the situation. This assessment is structured by a confessional ethos, including demanding remorse from the perpetrator and mercy from the victim. The powerful idea of confession and forgiveness as liberating and emancipative is seen as part of a Foucauldian, neoliberal effort working toward the same end as regular criminal proceedings: creating law-abiding citizens. However, creating law-abiding citizens is not encouraged through judiciary processes, sentencing and imprisonment, but by stimulating an inner, panoptic judge of conscience, motivating the perpetrator to remain within the law.",

keywords = "Faculty of Law, Restorative justice , Mediation, Religious aspects, Goffman, Foucault, Interactionism, Neoliberalism, Pastoral power",

author = "Asmussen, {Ida Helene}",

year = "2015",

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doi = "10.1080/20504721.2015.1049870",

language = "English",

volume = "3",

pages = "28--48",

journal = "Restorative Justice",

issn = "2050-4721",

publisher = "Routledge",

number = "1 Routledge",

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T1 - Performing Absolution Narratives in Restorative Justice

AU - Asmussen, Ida Helene

PY - 2015/9/11

Y1 - 2015/9/11

N2 - Based on Goffman's notion of people performing contextually preferred identities, a qualitative study of victim–offender mediation shows that the roles adopted in mediation sessions reflect a moral assessment of the situation. This assessment is structured by a confessional ethos, including demanding remorse from the perpetrator and mercy from the victim. The powerful idea of confession and forgiveness as liberating and emancipative is seen as part of a Foucauldian, neoliberal effort working toward the same end as regular criminal proceedings: creating law-abiding citizens. However, creating law-abiding citizens is not encouraged through judiciary processes, sentencing and imprisonment, but by stimulating an inner, panoptic judge of conscience, motivating the perpetrator to remain within the law.

AB - Based on Goffman's notion of people performing contextually preferred identities, a qualitative study of victim–offender mediation shows that the roles adopted in mediation sessions reflect a moral assessment of the situation. This assessment is structured by a confessional ethos, including demanding remorse from the perpetrator and mercy from the victim. The powerful idea of confession and forgiveness as liberating and emancipative is seen as part of a Foucauldian, neoliberal effort working toward the same end as regular criminal proceedings: creating law-abiding citizens. However, creating law-abiding citizens is not encouraged through judiciary processes, sentencing and imprisonment, but by stimulating an inner, panoptic judge of conscience, motivating the perpetrator to remain within the law.

KW - Faculty of Law

KW - Restorative justice

KW - Mediation

KW - Religious aspects

KW - Goffman

KW - Foucault

KW - Interactionism

KW - Neoliberalism

KW - Pastoral power

U2 - 10.1080/20504721.2015.1049870

DO - 10.1080/20504721.2015.1049870

M3 - Journal article

SN - 2050-4721

VL - 3

SP - 28

EP - 48

JO - Restorative Justice

JF - Restorative Justice

IS - 1 Routledge

ER -

Performing Absolution Narratives in Restorative Justice

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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Activities

Skriftemålets genkomst: Anger og bod i 21. århundrede

Stigmatisering af kriminelle: empatien på prøve

Oplægsholder og paneldeltager: Deatarrangement på jur.fak.ved Dagbladet Information

Religiøse og terapeutiske narrativer i konfliktråd

Cite this