Robert A. Schneider, "The Return of Resentment: The Rise and Decline and Rise Again of a Political Emotion" (U Chicago Press, 2023)

Nov 2, 2024

Robert A. Schneider, a historian at Indiana University Bloomington, dives deep into the intricate nature of resentment as a political emotion in his latest work. He unpacks how feelings of resentment have influenced political identity since the French Revolution, marking its evolution through various historical contexts. Schneider discusses the dual role of resentment, capable of signaling legitimate grievances while also potentially distorting valid criticisms. He navigates the implications of these sentiments in today's politics, shedding light on the dynamics of dignity and democracy.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

Unpacking Resentment's Roots

01:55 • 14min

The Emergence of Political Identity Post-French Revolution

15:25 • 3min

The Evolution of Resentment

18:18 • 20min

Resentment and Political Change

38:43 • 9min

Dignity and Democracy: Navigating Conflict and Acknowledgment

47:45 • 6min

The term “resentment,” often casually paired with words like “hatred,” “rage,” and “fear,” has dominated US news analysis since November 2016. Despite its increased use, this word seems to defy easy categorization. Does “resentment” describe many interlocking sentiments, or is it just another way of saying “anger”? Does it suggest an irrational grievance, as opposed to a legitimate callout of injustice? Does it imply political leanings, or is it nonpartisan by nature?

In The Return of Resentment: The Rise and Decline and Rise Again of a Political Emotion (U Chicago Press, 2023), Robert A. Schneider explores these questions and more, moving from eighteenth-century Britain to the aftermath of the French Revolution to social movements throughout the twentieth century. Drawing on a wide range of writers, thinkers, and historical experiences, Schneider illustrates how resentment has morphed across time, coming to express a collective sentiment felt by people and movements across the political spectrum. In this history, we discover resentment’s modernity and its ambiguity—how it can be used to dismiss legitimate critique and explain away violence, but also convey a moral stance that demands recognition. Schneider anatomizes the many ways resentment has been used to label present-day movements, from followers of Trump and supporters of Brexit to radical Islamicists and proponents of identity politics. Addressing our contemporary political situation in a novel way, The Return of Resentment challenges us to think critically about the roles different emotions play in politics.

Robert A. Schneider is professor of history at Indiana University Bloomington. He is the author of three books, including, most recently, Dignified Retreat: Writers and Intellectuals in the Age of Richelieu.

Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube channel. Twitter.

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