A FORGIVENESS-BASED APPROACH: AN ANALYSIS OF FORGIVENESS AND ITS USES IN THE BASQUE CONFLICT

Project Information

FORGIVEBASQ

Grant agreement ID: 894400

DOI

10.3030/894400

Project closed

EC signature date 23 April 2020

Start date 1 February 2021

End date 31 January 2024

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 175 099,20

EU contribution

€ 175 099,20

Coordinated by

UNIVERSIDAD DE LA IGLESIA DE DEUSTO ENTIDAD RELIGIOSA
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - FORGIVEBASQ (A FORGIVENESS-BASED APPROACH: AN ANALYSIS OF FORGIVENESS AND ITS USES IN THE BASQUE CONFLICT)

Reporting period: 2022-02-01 to 2023-01-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The main aspiration of the FORGIVEBASQ project is to analyze the concept of forgiveness in order to understand its dynamics in the context of the Basque conflict. To do this, the project proposes an analysis of forgiveness using a philosophical approach. The project has three main objectives. Firstly, develop a theoretical framework of the notion of forgiveness based on three axes that structure the theoretical framework: the history of the notion of forgiveness, the areas in which forgiveness currently plays a role and the different ways of defining the conditions, currents aspirations and potential for forgiveness. Secondly, carry out a diachronic study of forgiveness in the context of the Basque conflict through documentary analysis. This will serve to identify and explain how forgiveness has been present in the Basque conflict, what role it plays in the peace process, how it has evolved and transformed and the key points at which forgiveness emerged in the political-legal and social debate. The third and final objective is the dissemination of the results of the project both in the academic field (articles, conferences) and in the non-academic field (informative and educational resources).

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

FORGIVEBASQ seeks to analyze the concept of forgiveness in order to provide analytical tools and critical elements that help understand the way in which forgiveness is often present in conflict and post-conflict debates.While the work carried out in the first phase met the purpose of developing a solid theoretical framework on the notion of forgiveness, the main purpose of the second part was to use those theoretical tools to make a critical approach to the specific context of the Basque context and to draw conclusions about the uses of forgiveness in the Basque public space in recent decades.

The work carried out during the first phase (University of California Riverside) has fulfilled its purpose of developing a solid theoretical framework on the notion of forgiveness. I have managed to propose a successful and innovative approach to the notion of forgiveness, especially focused on the contributions of the philosopher Jacques Derrida.

The work carried out during the second phase (University of Deusto) has been focused, first of all, on carrying out a diachronic study on the uses of forgiveness during the Basque conflict. To do this, I have created a documentary collection and analyzed it in order to study the role of forgiveness during the Basque conflict. Secondly, I have followed a strategy to disseminate the project's findings in academic contexts and share the social lessons learned with different audiences.

Among the dissemination activities, I would remark the International Conference on Forgiveness at the University of California Riverside organised by my supervisor Jacques Lezra and myself, on December 9 and 10, 2021: ‘The Times of Pardon/forgiveness: theoretical approaches, practical considerations’. This event has brought together great specialists from a total of seven different institutions and it has reached researchers and students from different disciplines of Humanities and Social Sciences due to its multidisciplinary approach. I should also point out three articles and a book chapter on forgiveness already published and one more pending publication, participation in six international conferences and the delivery of two seminars on forgiveness (as an ethical-political concept and as a topic that can be addressed from literature). In addition, an informative-pedagogic book on forgiveness in the Basque conflict is pending publication (Catarata, 2025).

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The results of this research have contributed to highlighting the paradigmatic place that forgiveness has acquired since the second half of the 20th century and the transformations it has undergone in recent decades. The project has also highlighted the contributions of continental philosophy and its potential contribution to debates on justice and coexistence. Finally, the study on forgiveness in the Basque conflict has shown that it is an element in dispute, which is especially linked to the idea of reconciliation and that it fulfills different social, political and legal functions. Forgiveness has thus emerged as a particularly relevant topic to critically interrogate the history of the Basque conflict and violence.For all these reasons, this project has an academic impact by highlighting the importance of critical analysis of the uses of forgiveness in conflict and post-conflict processes. This project has also a social impact by offering tools to understand ithe role of forgiveness in the specific context of the Basque context.

Jacques Derrida Papers Collection. Special collections and archives at UC Irvine, California.

Conference at UC Riverside 'The times of pardon/forgiveness'