Abstract
This study contributes to understanding how commemoration and heritage constitute part of a broader struggle for justice in the postcolonial Netherlands. By means of vignette-based interviews with opinion leaders, we investigate how folk paradigms of justice inform discussions about the role of statues in commemorative practices. Embedded in Nancy Frasers’ tripartite model of justice as redistribution, recognition and representation, the study shows how opinion leaders of different political persuasion prioritize different conceptions of justice. Our findings indicate that resistance towards societal change coincides with a liberal understanding of justice, which is reflected in a tendency to disparage grievances and claims that relate to recognition and representation. However, critical theoretical conceptions of justice that highlight the importance of recognition and representation have an emancipatory potential, as they can validate the grievances of groups that are socially and/or economically marginalized.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Sociological Focus |
Publication status | Accepted/In press - 2024 |
Research programs
- SAI 2005-04 MSS
Erasmus Sectorplan
- Sector plan Recht-Empirical Legal Studies