Hi again! I think I managed to send only the first line of my mail, so below is my full comment again to Ilan's pertinent question. Best //Susann
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Hi! Great that you raised the question, Ilan!
For the Latvian case, I believe we need to know more about the context of this seemingly unexpected decision before jumping to conclusions about its' appropriateness. What sense does this measure make in the Latvian cultural and political setting, and what are the interpretations of it in the Latvian public debate? Any Latvian colleagues among Radixers who can bring some more nuanced understanding here?
At a more generic level, actions like this occurring on the highest symbolic-political level without any prior escalation leading to it, risks precluding all other instances of accountability. Hence, the possibilities to identify the weaknesses and strengths in the system are aborted, and so are the chances of changing them. I use the concept "logic of omission" to denote the processes of selectivity in what we choose to recall and what to forget from a critical event. If accountability is focused on one front figure scapegoat only, no matter its symbolic importance at a societal level, the multiple responsibilities within a system are omitted from public debate and policy making. In my view, such a logic of omission merely reproduces structures of vulnerability.
Best //Susann
Susann Ullberg___________________________________________________
PhD Social Anthropology || Fil Dr i socialantropologi
Senior Analyst || Senioranalytiker
CRISMART Crisis Management Research & Training || Nationellt Centrum för Krishanteringsstudier
www.crismart.org
Swedish National Defence College || Försvarshögskolan
Box 27805
SE-115 93 Stockholm
SWEDEN
+46-8-55342731
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Från: Radix [[log in to unmask]] för Ilan Kelman [[log in to unmask]]
Skickat: den 28 november 2013 00:00
Till: [log in to unmask]
Ämne: Accountability for Disaster
This list has frequently discussed accountability for disaster. In Latvia, we see it in action http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25120936 with the Prime Minister resigning over the supermarket roof collapse. Is this an appropriate reaction, is this the accountability that we seek?
Ilan
http://www.ilankelman.org
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