Speaker: Michèle Lamont, Robert I. Goldman Professor of European Studies, Harvard University
I make the case for the systematic study of cultural processes of recognition and stigmatization across a range of contexts as essential to improving our understanding of inequality. After presenting evidence of a growing recognition gap, I argue that institutions and cultural repertoires can serve as resources to expand recognition to the largest number of citizens, and explore how various stigmatized groups have responded to exclusion across three national contexts (the United States, Brazil and Israel). Finally, I consider destigmatization processes as they apply to people with HIV-AIDs, the obese and African Americans. Together, these diverse contributions aim to improve our understanding of how to generate more inclusive societies.