Beyond Bullying

The first book to integrate shame research into a single overarching theory * Why are some kids magnets for bullying? * Why do gay teens commit suicide four times as frequently as "straight" teens? * Why do we have more men and women in prison than any other country in the world? * Why are school shootings and acts of domestic terrorism on the rise? What could possibly be the theme that ties all of these questions together, which provides a window into so many aspects of the darker aspects of human behavior? In a word, shame. Shame is a powerful and complex emotion, capable of producing dramatic reactions from even the most mild-mannered people. While shame can be employed in positive ways, such as teaching children good manners, other types of shame can be devastating, or even lethal. However, few people truly understand the role of shame in acts of bullying, violence, and discrimination. In Beyond Bullying: Breaking the Cycle of Shame, Bullying, and Violence, veteran professor of social work Jonathan Fast deftly weaves together research from the fields of psychology, sociology, economics, and history to create a single overarching theory of shame. The book introduces the concept of