'Remarkable . . . this book is the hope that so many people are searching for' Zimmer Magazine

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.

"Ahmed merges her own experience with stories shared by other battle-scarred complainers... These stories bolster Ahmed’s cutting observations about the nefarious means by which power is maintained within institutions... Readers will find meaningful insight and support" - Publishers Weekly

"Doesn’t simply celebrate complaints; it reimagines them as a form of resistance and recognition... Ahmed’s book is an insightful reminder: Sometimes the squeaky wheel doesn’t get the grease until it’s too late" - Hyperallergic

"A must-read . . . Ahmed does an excellent job of calling the reader to action whilst pointing out that solidarity and resistance look like different things to different people" - Glasgow Women's Library

"Remarkable . . . has the potential to generate real change. In a world that is so turbulent and unpredictable, this book is the hope that so many people are searching for" - Zimmer Magazine

"Praise for Sara Ahmed" - :

"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" - Inside Story