Shame
The Politics and Power of an Emotion
$55.20
- Paperback
360 pages
- Release Date
31 January 2026
Summary
Today, we are caught in a shame spiral—a vortex of mutual shaming that pervades everything from politics to social media. We are shamed for our looks, our culture, our ethnicity, our sexuality, our poverty, our wrongdoings, our politics. But what is the point of all this shaming and countershaming? Does it work? And if so, for whom?
In Shame, David Keen explores the function of modern shaming, paying particular attention to how shame is instrumentalised and weaponised. Keen p…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780691248219 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 0691248214 |
| Author: | David Keen |
| Publisher: | Princeton University Press |
| Imprint: | Princeton University Press |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 360 |
| Release Date: | 31 January 2026 |
| Weight: | 568g |
| Dimensions: | 235mm x 156mm |
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What They're Saying
Critics Review
“Fascinating.”—Charlie English, The Guardian
“Shame genuinely enlightens.”—Boyd Tonkin, The Spectator
“In the year in which more than four billion people will go to the polls, and conflict rages in Europe and the Middle East, David Keen’s Shame: The politics and power of an emotion will be seen as a particularly thought-provoking exploration of how shame can be mobilized in a wide variety of contexts – from elections to war to the economy – to the benefit of some and the detriment of many.”—Hannah White, Times Literary Supplement
“
A fascinating exploration of shame and shamelessness as they feature in political life and global conflicts… . Original.
”—Nick Haslam, Inside Story“This resoundingly excellent, forthright book, ought to absolutely be made compulsive reading.”—David Marx, David Marx Book Reviews
“The book’s originality lies in its synthesis of diverse literature and its humanistic approach to political analysis. By connecting individual emotional experiences to collective historical processes, Keen offers insights that are often absent in traditional studies of war, conflict, and international politics. Unlike purely strategic or rationalist accounts, Shame foregrounds the moral and psychological stakes of political action, prompting readers to reconsider the ethical dimensions of policy and leadership. This approach is particularly relevant in a contemporary world marked by polarization, social fragmentation, and persistent cycles of revenge and humiliation.”—Khairullah Arsyad, Philosophy in Review
About The Author
David Keen
David Keen is professor of conflict studies in the Department of International Development at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is the author of The Benefits of Famine, Conflict and Collusion in Sierra Leone, Endless War?, Complex Emergencies, Useful Enemies, and When Disasters Come Home.
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