Social Reproduction and Critical Subjectification Processes - The Two Faces of Shame - Theoretical and Case Study Discussion

Aug 28, 2026

This paper develops an original sociological approach to shame by distinguishing two forms: Me’s shame and I’s shame. After outlining the theoretical difference, the study concentrates on a specific type of I’s shame—critical I’s shame—offering a conceptual definition followed by a case study. The case emphasizes the emancipatory role of shame and its social introduction within participation in social movements during a housing eviction experience in Rome.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Shame as a sociological problem

Two forms of shame: Me and I

Emancipatory value of critical I’s shame

CUERPOS, EMOC I ONES Y SOCIEDAD, Có rdoba, N°29, Año 11, p . 82-88, Abril 2019-Julio 2019 Revista Latinoamericana de Estudios sobre Cuerpos, Emociones y Sociedad N°29 . Año 11. Abril 2019-Julio 2019. Argentina. ISSN 1852-8759. pp. 82-88 Social Reproduction and Critical Subjectification Processes. The Two Faces of Shame Reproducción Social y Procesos de Subjetivación Crítica. Las Dos Caras de la Vergüenza Lorenzo Bruni* Department of Political Sciences-University of Perugia, Italia [lor.bruni@yahoo.it](lor.bruni@yahoo.it) Abstract The aim of this paper is to mark an original sociological way of access to the study of shame. The main theoretical hypotesis is about the distinction between two forms of shame: the first is called Me’s shame, the latter I’s shame. Once the author have shortly discussed the distinction between Me’s shame and I’s shame, he will focus on a form of I’s shame called critical I’s Shame. After a theoretical definition, the author will propose a case study dedicated to this form. In this case study the author will try to emphasize the emancipative role of shame along with the social introduction of this emotion in the participation to social movements in an eviction experience occurred in Rome. Keywords: Shame; recognition; Mead. Resumen El objetivo de este artículo es el de marcar una llave de lectura sociológica original al estudio de la vergüenza. La principal hipótesis teórica se basa en la distinción entre dos formas de vergüenza: la primera es denominada la Vergüenza del Mí, la segunda es denominada la Vergüenza del Yo. El autor, luego de haber discutido brevemente ladistinción entre la Vergüenza del Mí y del yo, se centrará en una forma de vergüenza llamada Vergüenza crítica del yo. Después de una definición teórica, el autor propondrá un estudio de caso dedicado a esta forma. En este estudio decaso, el autor intentará enfatizar el papel emancipador de la vergüenza junto a la introducción social de esta emociónen la participación a movimientos sociales en una experiencia de desalojo ocurrida en la ciudad de Roma. Palabras clave: Vergüenza; reconocimiento; Mead. * Lorenzo Bruni (PhD) Research Fellow in Sociology at the Department of Political Sciences, University of Perugia. . . Social Reproduction and Critical Subjectification Processes. The Two Faces of Shame CUERPOS, EMOC I ONES Y SOCIEDAD, Có rdoba, N°29, Año 11, p . 82-88, Abril 2019-Julio 2019 1. Introduction Shame, in a better and clearer way than other kind of emotions, shows the connection between emotional subject, who feels shame, and the emotional object, the thing or person shame is directed to. Trying to give a sociological look at these two components of shame, in this paper I will try to develop an original reflection about shame. As is known, shame interests a really wide scientific production, which crosses different disciplines (psychology, aesthetical studies, philosophy, etc. ) . About philosophy, for instance, is necessary to mention the latest works of Martha Nussbaum and Slavoj Zizek (Nussbaum 2004, Zizek 2009) . In the sociological field, shame could be placed inside sociology of emotions (Hochschild 1975, 1979; Shott 1979; Illouz 2007; Turnaturi 1995; Flam and King 2005; Scribano 2018; Cerulo 2009, 2018) and this kind of emotion has been studied mainly by Thomas Scheff and Gabriella Turnaturi (Scheff 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2004; Turnaturi 2012) . Other sociologists such as Jack Barbalet, Johnatan Turner and Jack Katz (Barbalet 2001 Turner 2007, 2011; Katz, 1999) analyzed shame in their research projects, including it inside a wider reflection about emotions considered in general terms. These authors, differently from Scheff and Turnaturi, didn’t focus on shame such as an exclusive research field. Jack Katz, in particular, studied shame in his work “How emotions work”, suggesting a clear definition. I quote Katz “Shame is a disturbing revelation of the self to itself an

FAQs

What are the two forms of shame discussed in the paper?

The paper distinguishes Me’s shame and I’s shame, rooted in a sociological and subjective perspective on how shame is generated and experienced.

How does the paper define critical I’s shame?

Critical I’s shame is presented as a form of I’s shame that crosses and meets improved recognitive social sources, enabling emancipatory potential.

What case does the author use to illustrate critical I’s shame?

The author uses an eviction experience in Rome to show how shame can be introduced socially and linked to participation in social movements.

Aug 28, 2026

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