Forgiveness from a Feminist Perspective

Writing from an explicitly feminist point of view, Kathryn Norlock discusses the importance of attending to gender when analyzing and recommending forgiveness and self-forgiveness. A new preface for the 2018 edition reflects on the additional complexities to the question of forgiveness posed by the #MeToo movement and white supremacist violence.

This philosophical monograph on forgiveness is the first of its kind to be written from a feminist perspective. Kathryn J. Norlock urges scholars to attend to gender when analyzing and recommending forgiveness in practice. She demonstrates that while many academics find the concept of forgiveness both complex and fascinating, they seldom pay attention to the fact that issue of forgiveness intersect with those of gender in many crucial ways.By redefining forgiveness and self-forgiveness as including speech acts, emotions, and commitments, Norlock encourages readers to consider new questions about the advisability of trying to have a single, universal set of conditions for forgiveness because of the multidimensional nature of its practice and application. A new preface for the 2018 edition reflects on the additional complexities to the question of forgiveness posed by the #MeToo movement and white supremacist violence.