No Is Not a Lonely Utterance

The Art and Activism of Complaining

Sara Ahmed

$55

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

Allen Lane
02 December 2025

Society & Social Sciences; Feminism & feminist theory

A moving exploration of the solace and power of listening in an unjust world, from the author of The Feminist Killjoy Handbook

'Behind many disasters are unheard complaints'

To complain is an intimate, dangerous act. Whether it's speaking up about racism in the workplace or taking a stand against sexual harassment at university, the act of complaining to an institution can leave you isolated and undermined, all while the original injustice remains unresolved. Time and time again, we see these unanswered complaints compound to disastrous effect.

In No is Not a Lonely Utterance, Sara Ahmed dissects the anatomy of a complaint, revealing how institutions create hostile environments that stigmatize complainers, and charts a way we can listen to grievances with 'feminist ears'- going beyond mere validation and seeking instead to address the root causes of injustice and inequality.

Weaving together testimonies from various walks of life, Ahmed shows us what we learn about the ways institutions exercise their power when complaints are raised, and indeed what we learn about our capacity to collectivize and create social bonds through complaint. In doing so, she inspires us to create better environments for our life's work.

By: Sara Ahmed
Imprint: Allen Lane
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 222mm, Width: 141mm, Spine: 34mm
Weight: 510g
ISBN: 9780241759271
ISBN 10: 0241759277
Pages: 416
Publication Date: 02 December 2025
Audience: General/trade , College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , ELT Advanced , Primary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Sara Ahmed is an independent feminist scholar who works at the intersection of feminist, queer and race studies. Her research is concerned with how bodies and worlds take shape; and how power is secured and challenged in everyday life as well as institutional cultures. She has published eleven books including The Feminist Killjoy Handbook

Reviews for No Is Not a Lonely Utterance: The Art and Activism of Complaining

Praise for Sara Ahmed -- - * : * Sara Ahmed always has her finger on the pulse of the times -- Angela Davis A brilliant feminist thinker... Ahmed moves from scene to scene with clarity, rage, and joy, building through each refrain to mark the brutal violence of everyday encounters -- Judith Butler Clever and generous... has a talent for bringing her readers with her, without ever dumbing down or sugar-coating her politics, love of theory, or lived experience as a queer woman of colour -- Zora Simic * Inside Story *