Protocols of political forgiveness: forgetting and forgiving antisemitism in Greek right-wing politics

This chapter examines forgiveness as a political communication concept and strategy in the domain of race and discrimination discourse. Specifically, it focuses on the act of apology as a means to re-establish the image of a political liberal while being known for previous discriminatory declarations and practices. Following the Discourse Historical Approach (DHA) to Critical Discourse Studies, it studies statements of apology by three Greek ministers, made in response to accusations of their past antisemitic mindset. The analysis draws on the synthesis of the Aristotelian rhetoric and the DHA theory of argumentation schemes, identifying different kinds of topoi and other argumentative devices in the texts and pointing to their general function in the apology and forgiveness discourse. From a sociopolitical standpoint, the chapter paints a comprehensive picture of antisemitism in contemporary Greece, tracing its roots to the rapid growth of the extreme right and the role political forgiveness has played in the process.