Sociology Professors Examine ‘Victimhood Culture’ in New Book

Two sociology professors from across the country teamed up last year to publish a book on “victimhood culture.”

The book, entitled The Rise of Victimhood Culture, was published in 2018 by Professor Bradley Campbell of Cal State Los Angeles and Professor Jason Manning of West Virginia University.

The book addresses the “victimhood culture” trend that is especially popular on college campuses. Young Americans now proudly exploit their minority statuses for personal gain. Those who support this new cultural development believe that there is something noble about belonging to a minority group. As a result, some young people use their minority status to destroy others for minor and even accidental slights.

The book was highlighted by a recent report by The College Fix. The two professors argue that “victimhood culture” is the new source of cultural pride for American youth. in previous eras, pride was derived from one’s financial status, honor, or dignity.

The report highlights a recent Quillette column by Professor Campbell that compared victimhood culture to “honor cultures.”

“In honor cultures men want to appear formidable. A reputation for bravery, for being willing and capable of handling conflicts through violence, is important. … In dignity cultures, though, people have worth regardless of their reputations. Because an insult doesn’t take away your worth, your dignity, you can ignore others’ insults,” Campbell wrote in the piece.

“But the new culture of victimhood combines sensitivity to slight with appeal to authority,” he added. “Those who embrace it see themselves as fighting oppression, and even minor offenses can be worthy of attention and action. Slights, insults, and sometimes even arguments or evidence might further victimize an oppressed group, and authorities must deal with them.”

The authors argue that the real world is slowly starting to conform to the absurdities of American campus culture, which rewards those who most loudly wear their “oppression” on their sleeves.

Stay tuned to Breitbart News for more on “victimhood culture.”