Towards an Existential-Phenomenology of Humiliation with Dr. Marc Boaz & Prof Digby Tantam
Wed 20-05-2026, 19:30
Marc Boaz examines humiliation existentially, offering insights for understanding trauma and relational harm.
In this public lecture, Marc Boaz offers a new description of humiliation through an existential-phenomenological lens. Building on contemporary perspectives, the session will explore a nuanced distinction between shame and humiliation, deepening our understanding of these often overlapping yet distinct experiences.
Incorporating insights from the phenomenology of movement, Marc will examine how experiences of humiliation can position individuals as a surface — or ground — for the actions of others. In this way, humiliation can be understood as an experience that devalues and dehumanises, shaping how individuals relate to themselves, others, and the world.
This lecture offers a reflective and theoretically rich space for considering the lived experience of humiliation and its implications for therapeutic practice.
Background Reading (Optional):
- Boaz, M. (2026). Existential anchorage: phenomenological notes on the pursuit of existential wellness in the wake of interpersonal violence
- Boaz, M. (2025). Trauma and existence: existential-humanistic understandings of trauma
- Boaz, M. (2025). Encountering our daimonics: existential dynamics within experiences of trauma and humiliation
- Boaz, M. (2022). An existential approach to interpersonal trauma
Who Should Attend:
This workshop is suitable for counsellors, psychotherapists, trainees, and anyone with an interest in existential and phenomenological approaches to understanding human experience.
How May This Workshop Impact Your Practice?
This session may deepen your conceptual and experiential understanding of humiliation, supporting more nuanced clinical awareness when working with clients who have experienced dehumanisation, trauma, or relational harm.
We look forward to your participation in this thought-provoking and reflective lecture.