It’s Not Personal: When Rejection Gets Political

KQED's Forum

KQED

News, News Commentary, Politics

4.2 • 726 Ratings

🗓️ 1 May 2026

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We all know the stinging pain of rejection: the exclusion from a high-school in-group or the all-too-common experience of applying for a job and receiving an email starting with “We regret to inform you…” But beyond the personal experience of rejection is a power dynamic worth interrogating, argues author Alison Kinney. Her new book, “United States of Rejection: A Story of Love, Hate, and Hope,” examines it as not only a personal force, but a political one. Guests: Alison Kinney, author; assistant professor of writing, Eugene Lang College at The New School Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:43.2	From K-Q-E-D. Welcome to Forum. I'm Mina Kim. Rejection is universal, but still feels personal.
0:51.8	More than a million students, for example, just survived college decision
0:55.2	season when far more rejection letters than acceptances went out. And even though many students
1:00.2	expect this and experience it together around the same time, it doesn't mean their rejections
1:05.1	don't hurt. Allison Kinney, in her new book, United States of Rejection, explores the unique power of rejection,
1:12.4	learning from a neuroscientist that it can make us feel physical pain, as well as undermine our confidence,
1:18.2	and looks at the broader implications of this when the rejections are coming from a community or even a country.
1:24.8	Listeners, when did a rejection leave a lasting impression on you?
1:28.7	Alison Kinney writes about culture, history, and social justice, and his assistant professor
1:33.2	of writing at Eugene Lange College at the New School.
1:36.5	Allison, welcome to Forum.
	...

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