Bullsh*t Comparisons

Bullsh*t Comparisons will challenge the way you think about the political use and social abuse of the metaphors and metrics that warp our understanding of an unequal world.

Life is complicated, comparisons are easy. We consume enormous quantities of information every day from sources that are reliable, and those less trustworthy, including journalists, politicians, friends and social media.

One of the most commons tools we use to communicate is comparison. Are we suffering a 'hurricane' of migrants? Do dogs look like their owners? Is Oxford better than Harvard? Metaphors, models and metrics are used to compare anything from schools, to wars, to iconic people. But how helpful are they? What truths do they hide and what bullsh*t do comparisons propagate?

Looking across a fascinating range of situations both familiar and unfamiliar, serious and light-hearted, Bullsh*t Comparisons is a ground-breaking guide to the role of could-be-true but misleading comparisons. It is illuminated by examples spanning the globe from university league tables, to childhood rivalries, politicians' tawdry analogies, the FIFA World Footballer of the year award and Chinese neo-colonialism in Africa.
Ideal for anyone interested in critical thinking or who simply wants to be able to spot bullsh*t at twenty paces, this thought-provoking, intelligent and often amusing book will challenge you to think critically about the use of comparison.

About the Author

Andrew Brooks is a Reader in Uneven Development and Deputy Head of the Geography Department at King's College London. Andrew's work is equally praised for its rigour and accessibility.


His books include two editions of the popular Smithsonian Children's Illustrated Atlas and Clothing Poverty: The Hidden World of Fast Fashion and Second-hand Clothes, which was long listed for the Bread and Roses prize. He was an Editor of the Journal of Southern African Studies for four years and his work on global development and fashion has reached international media including Al Jazeera, BBC News, CNN, The Economist, The Guardian, Le Monde, The New York Times and Newsweek.