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Reflexivity in the Apologetic Aeon: NZOC's Return to Moscow

Kohe, Geoff (2012) Reflexivity in the Apologetic Aeon: NZOC's Return to Moscow. Museum & Society, 10 (2). pp. 121-140. ISSN 1479-8360. (KAR id:66760)

Abstract

There has been an emergent trend among governments, and within sports organizations, to engage in public apologies. These politically orchestrated attempts to recall, forgive (and potentially forget) are typically orientated toward smoothing past injustices and advocating reconciliation. Such remembering, reflexivity, and criticality are not typically characteristic of Olympic organizations and/or sport museums. However, New Zealand?s Olympic Committee (NZOC) has caught the apology bug. As part of its impending centennial celebrations, NZOC is reflecting on the consequences of its past (in)actions. Accordingly, this study analyses and evaluates the recent launch of NZOC museum?s 1980 Moscow exhibition and its ?apology? to athletes excluded from the 1980 Olympic team. I question NZOC?s desire to apologize. I then argue the exhibit and apology established a new, and needed, connection between NZOC and its colourful past. Within this public history exemplar are promising signs of the critically-framed histories academics encourage.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled keywords: sports, sports organisations, public apologies, NZOC
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Sport and Exercise Sciences
Depositing User: Geoffery Kohe
Date Deposited: 17 Apr 2018 12:10 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:25 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/66760 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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