Colonial Apologies in the US 

Colonial Apologies in the US: Analyzing Historical Inequalities

Date: Thursday, April 11, 2024

Time: 3:00 - 4:30 PM

Location: Edna Anderson-Taylor Communication Institute, LNCO 2910

Dr. Dalaki Livingston collected government issued apologies towards Indigenous people in the United States and is evaluating the image repair strategies utilized by US agencies. The usage of image repair strategies is typically used to save face or at least repair perceptions about public image. Utilizing apologia strategies, US agencies have issued a myriad of apologies in various contexts to repair public perceptions about relations with Indigenous peoples. The scope of this research is not measuring the success but the type and frequency of apologia strategies being used. Using a western paradigm to critique the formal attempts at reconciliation and reclamation, he hopes to better understand the baby steps needed to find a path forward in establishing equitable relationships with Indigenous communities. Before problems can be fixed, those problems need to be addressed.

More about Dr. Dalaki Livingston

Dalaki Livingston received his doctorate from the University of Oklahoma and is continuing his research here at the University of Utah. His research focuses on deliberation, Indigenous methods, pop culture, and health communication. During his tenure at OU, he worked in various capacities with the Center for the Ethics of Indigenous Genomic Research (CEIGR) and the Genomics and Ethics Program for Native Students (GEN). With CEIGR, he focused on projects surrounding Indigenous Deliberations with several partners. While working with GEN, his training revolved around Indigenous rights and sovereignty. Navigating academia and Indigenous communities is complicated largely due to historical, colonial, and systemic inequalities. He hopes to help others navigating those spaces, both within Indigenous communities and academia. In addition to his work with Indigenous communities, he also critically analyzes representation of Indigenous peoples in pop culture: television, movies, books, graphic novels, video games, or table-top roleplaying games. In his spare time, he volunteers as an assistant high school wrestling coach and is a co-developer for a tablet-top roleplaying game. He hails from Milford, Utah and is the 6th child of nine.