About this item
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 trulyunderstand 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"weaponized shame," a toxic and intentional attack on another person, noting that weaponized shame is often at the heart of bullying situations. With clear, straightforward language, Dr. Fast traces the nuances of shame through several common types of bullying, highlighting bullying based onsexuality, gender, and race. Noting the pervasive presence of weaponized shame in American culture, Beyond Bullying extends shame theory to acts of domestic violence, racism, school shootings, and domestic terrorism. The issues that cause bullying are not limited to the schoolyard, but rather areresponsible for horrific acts of violence across the nation. Beyond mere theory, the book provides concrete suggestions for healthy ways of dealing with shame, including techniques for diffusing potentially harmful situations. An invaluable resource for parents of bullied children, Beyond Bullying will also appeal to teachers, counselors, and social workers.
About the Author
Jonathan Fast was born in 1948 in New York City. in 1950 his father, Howard Fast, a novelist and social activist, was incarcerated for refusing to name names when called before the House Committee on Un-American Activities. While Jonathan was unaware of the significance of this event when it took place, it had a profound influence on his life course.
Fast attended the High School of Music and Art, and Princeton University. For a decade he wrote novels, and screenplays, and was a contract writer at Disney Animation. A midlife crisis led to his enrolment at Columbia School of Social Work, and a few years later, his entrance into doctoral studies at Yeshiva University. He was invited to join the faculty while still a student and has taught there for almost two decades.
In the 1990s, while working as the clinical director of a school-based health center, he was approached for help by a student who had planned to bomb the school. Over the next two years he worked with this student, helping him uncover and come to terms with the source of his shame. The student graduated, and went on to college and a professional career without resorting to any violent behavior.
In April of 1999, when Dr. Fast read about the shootings at Columbine High school, he became intrigued regarding the conditions that lead to a mass murder such as this. In 2008 Overlook Press published his research on this subject, a multiple case study, as the book, Ceremonial Violence, which is now considered the definitive work on the period of the school shooting "epidemic" (1997-1999) .
In 2008 Dr. Fast began a new research project focussing on the role of shame in different kinds of violent bullying behavior. This led to a second book, Beyond Bullying (Oxford University Press, 2015) which considers a number of behaviors, including racism, domestic violence, and homophobia, as examples of mismanaged or unexamined shame.
Dr. Fast currently lives in Southern Connecticut with his wife and their standard poodle, Louie. He enjoys playing chamber music and building things.
