I Express My Deep Remorse.

Type Interactive Website

Advisor Leon Eckert

Time April - May 2022

Teamwork Independent Project

Tools JaveScript(d3.js), HTML, CSS

An interactive data visualization of 274 political apologies in past 60 years.

Are we living in an age of apologies?

I express my deep remorse is an interactive website that contains the data visualization of over 250 political apologies in recent years. By examining the country, time, content, stakeholder and occasion of each political apology, it transforms complex datasets into insightful graphics and provides a different perspective to understand these apologies and their role in our society.

Research Context

Political apologies have become increasingly common in recent years. Nations employ them to acknowledge their errors, convey remorse, and seek forgiveness. Furthermore, they play an important role as a diplomatic tool in resolving international tensions and fostering future cooperation between countries.

Unlike personal apologies, political apologies involve a considerable number of individuals and even tap into a nation's collective memory. Additionally, these political apologies are meticulously crafted and rehearsed in advance of being presented during formal events.

Nowadays political apologies are far more than we thought…

What constitutes a good political apology in an age of massive apologies?

When similar rhetorics appear again and again, do they still sound sincere and touching?

Can political apologies redress justice? Is justice delayed justice denied?

Almost every political apology emphasizes the commitment to “never forget history” , yet doesn't the act of apologizing itself serve as a means to bring closure and move on?

……

By visualizing the data of political apologies, this project seeks to explore these open ended questions and reflect on the act of political apology. 

Reference

Examining the ‘Age of Apology’: Insights from the Political Apologies Database. Journal of Peace Research, 1-13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00223433211024696  

Coding & Web Development

Datasets

1. Political Apology Datasets (CSV File), from Political Apologies across Cultures

2. GeoJSON data of all countries (Download HERE)

Coding

1. Load and format data, set up axis and position for each graph.

2. Map data points to different places, generate force graph and transform data points when mouse scroll.