New Books in Psychology

Resentment: The Complexity of an Emotion and its Effect on Politics

Oct 10, 2023

The podcast discusses the complexity of resentment, its relationship with identity politics and forgiveness in divided societies. Topics include Nietzsche's views on resentment, generational conflict, and the productive side of resentment for social change.

39:08

Episode guests

Rob Schneider

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Resentment is a complex emotion involving moral outrage and violated expectations, not just simple anger.

Nietzsche viewed resentment as linked to submissiveness, slave morality, and the inversion of traditional values.

Deep dives

Complexity of Resentment and its Role in Politics

Resentment is a complex emotion that goes beyond simple feelings of anger or indignation. It involves a mix of thinking and feeling, involving more psychological reflection. Resentment is not just about feeling injured but also about a sense of moral outrage and a violation of expectations. This emotional complexity invites interrogation into what resentment truly means, how it relates to moral injury, and the importance of violated expectations.

Introduction

3min

Exploring the Multifaceted Nature of Resentment as an Emotion

5min

Unpacking Nietzsche's Views on Resentment

18min

Generational Conflict, Resentment, and Diminished Prospects

4min

Exploring the Productive Side of Resentment and its Role in Social Change

6min

In this episode of International Horizons, RBI director John Torpey interviews Rob Schneider, Professor of History at Indiana University-Bloomington, about the political effects of resentment. Schneider begins by discussing the psychological complexity of resentment and then delves into its understanding by other authors such as Nietzsche and its relationship with Catholicism. Moving forward, Schneider discusses how resentment is related to identity politics and how some sectors of the population have been neglected on the basis of the claim that they are privileged. Finally, he elaborates on the making of forgiveness in divided societies and how it is often imposed on some who are not yet ready to forgive.

Schneider is the author of The Return of Resentment: The Rise and Decline and Rise Again of a Political Emotion (U Chicago Press, 2023).

International Horizons is a podcast of the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies that brings scholarly expertise to bear on our understanding of international issues. John Torpey, the host of the podcast and director of the Ralph Bunche Institute, holds conversations with prominent scholars and figures in state-of-the-art international issues in our weekly episodes.

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