Introduction: the politics of blame in an era of uncertainty

Rhodes, R.A.W. (2024) Introduction: the politics of blame in an era of uncertainty. In, Flinders, Matthew, Rhodes, Roderick, Dimova, Gergana, Hinterleitner, Marcus and , Kent Weaver (eds.) The Politics of Blame in an Era of Uncertainty. Oxford. Oxford University Press.

Abstract

From coping with Covid-19 through to the politics of presidential elections, from the emergence of populist pressures through to the management of rising inequality, and from the repair of historical injustices through to the outbreak of new international conflicts – to mention just a few relevant topics – the analysis of modern politics and governance is increasingly framed through a focus on one simple question: ‘Who’s to blame?’

Answering this question is, however, rarely straightforward. Temporal dimensions, bureaucratic complexity, multi-levelled relationships and the existence of often deep emotional dynamics in fast-moving environments can serve to complicate the attribution of responsibility. The existence of a powerful and arguably increasingly aggressive ‘negativity bias’ within modern societies also frames the allocation of blame with a certain tone and texture that explains its links to notions of ‘naming’, ‘shaming’ and increasingly ‘gaming’. This, in turn, flows through into broader and often socio-cultural questions about scapegoating, sacrificial lambs and ‘saying sorry’, and less of a focus on questions concerning the politics of praise, positivity and credit-claiming.

Engaging with blame-based questions and achieving a rounded understanding of the politics and governance of blame has in the past been hampered by the existence of a rather scattered and fragmented knowledge base. Islands of theorising and distinct seams of scholarship have rarely been connected, while a focus on nation states and democratic systems has tended to obscure the allocation of blame in authoritarian regimes or across international boundaries.

Through a focus on ‘gaps’, ‘traps’, ‘challenges’ and ‘opportunities’ this major collection reaches across traditional disciplinary, historical and institutional boundaries – and challenges a number of ‘self-evident truths’ and foundational assumptions - in order to offer a full, original and integrated account of the politics and governance of blame.

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Contributors

Author: R.A.W. Rhodes

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