“What Was the Meaning of This Theatre of Absurdity” Public Shaming Meetings in the Late USSR

In recent years, we have seen a resurgence in the practice of public branding, process which members society express moral indignation at views or behavior an individual group. This stigmatization is especially common on social media, but it can also take other forms (meetings Academic Councils and ethics commissions, so-called cancel culture, so on). The splitting into opposing groups, fury accusations, severe consequences for status, reputation person, often revealed interest state certain institutions unleashing using — all this makes important phenomenon modern life. Stephenson’s article examines prorabotka, ritual shaming that took place schools, universities workplaces Soviet Union. It argues rather than being events dedicated to improvement re-education individuals by collectives (as they were official discourse), these repressive rituals led degradation victims shaming. shows addition script, meetings had supplementary script unleashed negative emotions affects generated guilt fear.