Hope Under Oppression

We have all been told, at one time or another, to "never give up hope." It's a common injunction to children, but as we grow older, sustaining hope becomes more challenging, particularly in a world we come to see as often frightening, dark, and unjust. But what is this thing "hope," and why is
hope so valuable that we are so often urged to preserve and protect it?

This book explores the nature and essential role of hope in human life under conditions of oppression. Oppression is often a threat and damage to hope, yet many members of oppressed groups, including prominent activists pursuing a more just world, find hope valuable and even essential to their
personal and political lives. Katie Stockdale offers a unique evaluative framework for hope that captures its intrinsic value, the rationality and morality of hope, and ultimately how we can hope well in the non-ideal world we share. She develops an account of the relationship between hope and anger
about oppression and argues that when people are angry about oppression, they tend to also harbour hope for repair. When people's hopes for repair are not realized, as is often the case for those who are oppressed, their anger can evolve into bitterness. They feel unresolved anger as a result of
losing hope that injustice will be sufficiently acknowledged and addressed.

Fortunately, things do not have to be this way. Even when people may feel that they have lost all hope, faith can help them to be resilient in the face of oppression. They can join with others who share their experiences or commitments for a better world, uniting with them in collective action. By
doing so, they can strengthen hope for the future when hope might otherwise be lost.

Ultimately, this work illustrates the crucial value of hope for both individuals and collectives in the pursuit of justice, and in an increasingly uncertain world.

"This book explores the nature, value, and role of hope in human life under conditions of oppression. Oppression is often a threat and damage to hope, yet many members of oppressed groups, including prominent activists pursuing a more just world, find hope valuable and even essential to their personal and political lives. This book offers a unique evaluative framework for hope that captures the intrinsic value of hope for many of us, the rationality and morality of hope, and ultimately how we can hope well in the non-ideal world we share. It develops an account of the relationship between hope and anger about oppression and argues that anger tends to be accompanied by hopes for repair. When people's hopes for repair are not realized, as is often the case for those who are oppressed, anger can evolve into bitterness: a form of unresolved anger involving a loss of hope that injustice will be sufficiently acknowledged and addressed. But even when all hope might seem lost or out of reach, faith can enable resilience in the face of oppression. Spiritual faith, faith in humanity, and moral faith are part of what motivates people to join in solidarity against injustice, through which hope can be recovered collectively. Joining with others who share one's experiences or commitments for a better world, and uniting with them in collective action, can restore and strengthen hope for the future when hope might otherwise be lost"--

"Hope under Oppression is a tour de force synthesis of philosophical reflection, political theory, and feminist critique. Katie Stockdale articulates a powerful and unique vision of the roles (both positive and negative) that hope plays our lives as moral agents, community members, activists, and
citizens. Her argument that bitterness is sometimes more appropriate than hope--especially under conditions of oppression--is profound and timely. The cross-disciplinary discussion of hope and despair has been very active recently, but this book stands out as a must-read contribution." -- Andrew
Chignell, Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor in Religion, Philosophy, and the Center for Human Values, Princeton University and Co-director of The Hope and Optimism Project (hopeoptimism.org)

"Stockdale adds a much-needed dimension to the recently burgeoning philosophical literature on hope: sustained attention to the significance of hope and related emotions - bitterness, anger, trust, faith - for oppressed people and communities. Stockdale writes with both philosophical rigor and
casual clarity and her book is important for philosophers working on these subjects, and also accessible to readers from outside philosophy seeking to learn about oppression and moral emotions." -- Adrienne Martin, Akshata Murty '02 and Rishi Sunak Associate Professor of Philosophy, Politics, and
Economics and George R. Roberts Fellow, Claremont McKenna College

"Hope is often a balm and an inspiration but sometimes a lure or a trap. It can serve as a lifeline or as a lever for exploitation. What terms of assessment, then, can we bring to our hopes? Stockdale's illuminating book maps the complexities of hope in our personal, social, and political situations
as individuals and members of groups. She situates the dynamic role of hope in a larger landscape of potent human emotions, including anger, bitterness, and varieties of faith - spiritual faith, faith in humanity, and moral faith -- that can sustain us. Using real and arresting examples, Stockdale
spurs a wide, deep, and inclusive conversation about the value and risks of hope." -- Margaret Urban Walker, Donald J. Schuenke Chair in Philosophy Emerita, Marquette University