On Victimhood, Solidarity, and Invisible Suffering - with Dr. Lilie Chouliaraki

https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2025/09/24/drlilie/

Today, we are fortunate to have Dr. Lilie Chouliaraki with us. She is a Professor in Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and has spent her career examining how the media discusses human suffering and our own vulnerability.

We are going to explore her work on how approaches to helping people have evolved over time. She walks us through the concept of "post-humanitarianism," which examines how our sense of solidarity has shifted. It is less about a shared sense of humanity and more about personal benefit, a kind of self-focused, consumer-style activism.

We also explore the highly complex but timely topic of victimhood identity. Dr. Chouliaraki discusses how the language of being a victim has become a powerful political tool. She has examined how this concept of victimhood is sometimes used, or even manipulated, by those who are already privileged to gain more power, a concept she calls the "weaponization of victimhood." This can happen in ways that actually reinforce inequalities rather than challenge them.

About  Dr. Lilie Chouliaraki 

Professor Lilie Chouliaraki is Chair in Media and Communications at LSE. She holds an MA and PhD from Lancaster University Department of Linguistics and a bachelor's degree from the School of Philosophy, University of Athens. 

In the past twenty-five years, her research has been examining how media shape our ethical and political relationships with vulnerable populations globally and how pain intersects with power relations in disaster news, humanitarian communication, migration, and conflict journalism across historical and digital contexts.

Recently, Chouliaraki has focused on histories of victimhood within emotional capitalism, social media, and far-right populism. Her award-winning book "Wronged: The Weaponization of Victimhood" was published by Columbia University Press in 2024.

She has received numerous international distinctions, including the Outstanding Article Award (ICA, 2014), Outstanding Book of the Year award (ICA, 2015), and Best Book Award (ICA, 2025). She is the only two-time recipient of the Outstanding Book of the Year Award and was named an ICA Fellow in 2020 for her distinguished scholarly contributions.

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Trigger Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics including but not limited to suicide, abuse, violence, severe mental illnesses, relationship challenges, sex, drugs, alcohol addiction, psychedelics, and the use of plant medicines. You are advised to refrain from watching or listening to the YouTube Channel or Podcast if you are likely to be offended or adversely impacted by any of these topics.

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