Ep. 24. Sara Ahmed, No is Not a Lonely Utterance: the Art and Activism of Complaining

What this episode covers

In this episode, I talk to Sara Ahmed about her book No is Not a Lonely Utterance: the Art and Activism of Complaining [https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/a-complainer-s-handbook-a-guide-to-building-less-hostile-institutions-sara-ahmed/7792119?ean=9780241759271&next=t] (2025). Sara Ahmed is an independent queer feminist scholar of colour. Her work is concerned with how power is experienced and challenged in everyday life and institutional cultures. Her most recent book is No is Not a Lonely Utterance: the Art and Activism of Complaining, which was published by Allen Lane in September 2025, and which follows on from The Feminist Killjoy Handbook [https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-feminist-killjoy-handbook-sara-ahmed/7218445?ean=9781802061895&next=t]also published by Allen Lane in 2023. Previous books include Complaint! [https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/complaint-sara-ahmed/6082880?ean=9781478017714&next=t] (2021), What's The Use? On the Uses of Use (2019),  Living a Feminist Life (2017), Willful Subjects (201$), On Being Included: Racism and Diversity in Institutional Life (2012), The Promise of Happiness (2010) and Queer Phenomenology: Orientations Objects, Others all published by Duke University Press. She blogs at feministkilljoys.com [https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeministkilljoys.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cj.harvie%40qmul.ac.uk%7Cbccafe0b76a04526a26008dd5a430c04%7C569df091b01340e386eebd9cb9e25814%7C0%7C0%7C638765966301171954%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=XwUA%2FZEdPcxdb5OGU9425%2FkRa3XL01%2FbEjwpx37AeRg%3D&reserved=0] and has a newsletter https://feministkilljoys.substack.com/ [https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffeministkilljoys.substack.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cj.harvie%40qmul.ac.uk%7Cbccafe0b76a04526a26008dd5a430c04%7C569df091b01340e386eebd9cb9e25814%7C0%7C0%7C638765966301195732%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=aSsO%2F9jUqpnpXP5UaDR7eillJG%2F4MkbyXk2LspFbQhs%3D&reserved=0]. Sara's book recs:  * Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Survival is a Promise [https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/survival-is-a-promise-the-eternal-life-of-audre-lorde-alexis-pauline-gumbs/7613814?ean=9780141996202&next=t]; Audre Lorde, Sister Outsider [https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/sister-outsider-audre-lorde/3874432?ean=9780241410509&next=t], The Cancer Journals [https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-cancer-journals-audre-lorde/299596?ean=9780241453506&next=t], The Black Unicorn [https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-black-unicorn-audre-lorde/5257914?ean=9780241396865&next=t], A Burst of Light [https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/a-burst-of-light-and-other-essays-audre-lorde/2270240?ean=9780486818993&next=t] Follow the show on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/booksupclose] and subscribe to the Substack [https://booksupclose.substack.com/] for transcripts and more links. Follow Sara on Bluesky (@saranahmed) or Instagram (@feministkilljoyatwork). Please leave feedback here [https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=ur7mk6rEMUevXdc1sJfq2-MtVOsMawJDpBA3aJ944dVUMkI4OTA3N0dBMUE2SDVJWlpaOE8zNlo4NC4u].  Produced, hosted, and edited by Chris Lloyd [https://www.instagram.com/chrisllloyd9].