Chapter 1 - Lesson 1 - The Blame Game: How Politicians Shape Public Narratives After a Crisis

Part of an ongoing series of articles exploring core concepts of political blame and blame avoidance in governance and political communication.

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Dear readers,

Have you noticed how, after almost every public disaster or scandal, the real debate quickly becomes less about what happened and more about who is to blame?

This is not an accident. The assignment of blame is one of the most powerful forces in political communication — and it plays out every day, whether we realize it or not.

Today I want to unpack this idea, based on insights from Christopher Hood’s brilliant book The Blame Game. It’s a concept I think everyone who watches politics (or journalism) should understand.