“A necessary book in divisive times”
The Shame Game:
Overturning the toxic poverty narrative
What does it mean to be poor in Britain and America?
For decades the primary narrative about poverty in both countries is that it has been caused by personal flaws or ‘bad life decisions’ rather than policy choices or economic inequality. This misleading account has become deeply embedded in the public consciousness with serious ramifications for how financially vulnerable people are seen, spoken about and treated.
This book by award-winning journalist and author Mary O’Hara asks how we can overturn this fundamentally pernicious portrayal once and for all. Crucially, she turns to the real experts to try to find answers – the people who live it.
The book draws on some of the contributions to Project Twist-It – a two-year multi-platform initiative focusing on the power of storytelling to overturn the toxic poverty narrative.
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Buy the Paperback or ebook via:
UK: Policy Press & Amazon.co.uk
US: Amazon.com
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“In a time of extreme social and economic division, Mary O’Hara lifts the lid on who truly benefits from keeping us divided and how we can flip the script of poverty to make a fairer society for all. A powerful and important book.”
APPEARANCES, MENTIONS & INTERVIEWS
Speaking with Laverne Cox on her Podcast about the impact of poverty shaming throughout life. Listen HERE
Mary and Jonathan talk for 40 minutes about challenging the negative poverty narrative and how we can change it!
PODCHASER Best Episodes of Getting Curious! HERE
Mary talks to Terrence about The Shame Game and how the Coronavirus pandemic is disproportionately impacting poorer and low income people
Watch HERE : Mary and Project Twist-It contributors LAUNCH The Shame Game at the Royal Society for the Arts
Activist Paul Atherton speaks at the launch of The Shame Game about the harshness of the benefits system and how suddenly any of us could be thrust into destitution.
With documentary filmmaker and author Paul Sng at Lighthouse Books, Edinburgh, Scotland March 2020
Mary and Paul (in part!)