Abstract
In the 21st Century, exacerbated by the rise of social media and the shift towards celebrity, media driven politics, insults have taken on an added significance. Insults are seemingly ‘everywhere’. (For example: public heckling in political debates; newspaper damning of individual men or women; adverts blaming ‘fatties’; or tweets seeking to shame ‘people of colour’, ‘the poor’, ‘leftists’, ‘Tories’, ‘the LGBT+ community’, or anyone for just disagreeing). At the same time ‘the put down’, the ‘back handed compliment’ and the ‘joke at someone’s expense’ is part and parcel of everyday life.
Sometimes funny, sometimes cathartic, most times offensive, insults can often have profound consequences for individuals and groups, impacting detrimentally on human action. Yet, paradoxically, positive human action is deemed necessary for a sustainable future. Currently, not least because of social media, lay political action is on the rise bringing about opportunities for either the further entrenchment of old (polar) positions or new (forward thinking) conversations. Whilst there have been some related news items and television documentaries, there is no analysis in the public domain of the prevalence, role and function of insults, consequently, there is little by way of a shared framework for articulating and potentially reconfiguring insults.
Our aim is for this book is to challenge current thinking and stimulate debate through providing an accessible sociologically informed discussion about:
•The historical and (sub)cultural context of insults.
•The role of insults in the maintenance and perpetuation of social norms.
•The everyday emotional experience of insults, of insulting and of being
insulted.
•The relationship between insults and power, insults and anger and disgust,
insults and humour.
•Challenges and resistance to insults.
Sometimes funny, sometimes cathartic, most times offensive, insults can often have profound consequences for individuals and groups, impacting detrimentally on human action. Yet, paradoxically, positive human action is deemed necessary for a sustainable future. Currently, not least because of social media, lay political action is on the rise bringing about opportunities for either the further entrenchment of old (polar) positions or new (forward thinking) conversations. Whilst there have been some related news items and television documentaries, there is no analysis in the public domain of the prevalence, role and function of insults, consequently, there is little by way of a shared framework for articulating and potentially reconfiguring insults.
Our aim is for this book is to challenge current thinking and stimulate debate through providing an accessible sociologically informed discussion about:
•The historical and (sub)cultural context of insults.
•The role of insults in the maintenance and perpetuation of social norms.
•The everyday emotional experience of insults, of insulting and of being
insulted.
•The relationship between insults and power, insults and anger and disgust,
insults and humour.
•Challenges and resistance to insults.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | In preparation - 7 Jan 2028 |