Justice through Apologies

Nick Smith is an Associate Professor of philosophy at the University of New Hampshire. Formerly a litigator and a clerk for the US Court of Appeals, he specializes in the philosophy of law, politics and society. Smith is the author of I Was Wrong: The Meanings of Apologies. He regularly appears in the media, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Guardian UK, Fortune, NPR, BBC, CBC, CNN, and others.

• 1. Categorical apologies revisited; Part I. The Penitent and the Penitentiary: Apologies in Criminal Law: 2. Against court ordered apologies; 3. Apology reductions in criminal law; Part II. Apologies in Civil Law: 4. The institutional framework: economic outcomes and non-economic values; 5. A practical framework for evaluating apologies in civil contexts.

'In I was Wrong, Nick Smith provided a unique and richly complex introduction to the world of apologies. Now, in this engaging follow up, Justice through Apologies, he has extended his analysis into their use in criminal and civil law. A feature of his earlier book - wonderful illustrations and endless provocative questions - graces the present one, challenging glibness and ensuring that his work will remain a go-to resource for those who, like Smith, are both impressed by the moral power of apologies but troubled by their performative exploitation.' John Kleinig, Emeritus, Department of Criminal Justice, John Jay College of Criminal Justice