Stigma is an illuminating excursion into the situation of persons who are unable to conform to standards that society calls normal. Disqualified fr...
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Jan 28, 2009
Vaughn
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The basic distinction Goffman makes towards understanding the literature on stigma (mostly qualitative) is that between virtual and social identity.
I found it useful to cash out this distinction in phenomenological terms as follows. Virtual identity is comprised of those meanings material to an individual person which her whole bodily presence motivates for the other person. The features of the person's bodily presence that motivate these meanings are signs, such as a scar. More...
I found it useful to cash out this distinction in phenomenological terms as follows. Virtual identity is comprised of those meanings material to an individual person which her whole bodily presence motivates for the other person. The features of the person's bodily presence that motivate these meanings are signs, such as a scar. More...
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Dec 17, 2009
Cat
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These the second Erving Goffman book that I've read this year (the other being "Asylums", please see my review on Amazon.com if interested).
I work as a criminal defense attorney and I read "Asylums" in an effort to gain perspective on the attitudes of institutionalized persons (i.e. convicts). I was suprised by how brilliant "Asylums" was, so I picked up "Stigma". I was similarily impressed with Stigma.
Where "Asylums" dealt with More...
I work as a criminal defense attorney and I read "Asylums" in an effort to gain perspective on the attitudes of institutionalized persons (i.e. convicts). I was suprised by how brilliant "Asylums" was, so I picked up "Stigma". I was similarily impressed with Stigma.
Where "Asylums" dealt with More...
May 02, 2009
Kristina
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I read this book because I'm starting a PhD in Sociology this fall and I'd read other Goffman texts, and they had this book at Borders, so I figured it was probably a big deal in Sociology. Overall, I think Goffman uses way too many words to explain his concepts, and the concepts themselves are poorly organized. Really, it could have fit in 1/4 of the pages he used, and it was a short book to begin with. It feels like he didn't make an outline before he wrote it. Parts of it were historicall
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Nov 11, 2009
Steven
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Stigma was revolutionary when it was written, but may seem a bit dated today - especially in the assumptions about homosexuality.
In the historical context, when stigmas (of any type) were seen as indelible and ultimately personal flaws, this text was incendiary. It systematically examines the way that our society constructs stigmas... and thus exposes exactly how meaningless they are.
For this reason - the easy-to-read rigorous exploding of the idea that stigmas really " More...
In the historical context, when stigmas (of any type) were seen as indelible and ultimately personal flaws, this text was incendiary. It systematically examines the way that our society constructs stigmas... and thus exposes exactly how meaningless they are.
For this reason - the easy-to-read rigorous exploding of the idea that stigmas really " More...
Jan 25, 2012
Emma
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This book was terribly boring, but it had this one great example in it about how people treat someone when they just find out about their stigma. They made up an example of someone having a quiggle. People won't know what to say so they ask totally inappropriate questions like "how do you bathe with that quiggle?" and then they try to related it to their own life so it wont seem like they're making a big deal out of it, hence "my uncle had a quiggle!" It's totally true and it
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May 05, 2009
Larry-bob
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I read it at the prompting of Covering, The Hidden Assault on Our Civil Rights, the author of which got the concept of covering (not being totally closeted, but downplaying aspects of one's identity when one is part of a stigmatized group) from this book.
Several of the footnotes about homosexuality reference Evelyn Hooker (whose works could stand to be collected into a book - also, it seems that the documentary on her is not easily available, although there is a short video of her on More...
Several of the footnotes about homosexuality reference Evelyn Hooker (whose works could stand to be collected into a book - also, it seems that the documentary on her is not easily available, although there is a short video of her on More...
Mar 08, 2009
Lindsay
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While Goffman is writing on the very interesting subject of stigma, and while many of the points he makes are interesting and valid I was put off by his writing style and his frequent use of an 'us versus them' approach (for instance, he often referred to "we normals", which i found offensive). While I recognize that this book was written in the 1960s and that it was very progressive for the time, it still didn't do it for me.
Jun 04, 2011
Robert
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Too long, too pedantic, and for the most part just plain boring. However, the insights into the nature and social dynamics of institutions and the way that people label and demonize those who they see as "the other" are unparalleled.
Apr 12, 2011
Trish
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This book is a must read. After being immersed in organisational psychology literature and school of thought, this book has changed my world.
Jun 01, 2010
Michael
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Goffman's framework in this piece is rife with racist undertones. Goffman positions himself (a White middle-class male) as a "normal" and racialized "others" as tribal stigma-bearers. This could either be a savvy self-reflexive gesture ("I am White, therefore, my identity is normative") or a blatantly racist one ("Black people make shit weird"). Whatever the case, Goffman's supposed goal of elucidating a so-called "universal" macrostructural (rea
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Sep 13, 2010
Jairus
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Erving Goffman really changed my views on stigmatized groups of people after reading his notes on stigma and stigma formation.
Aug 14, 2008
Johan
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Excellent study in social psychology or in the field of micro level sociology looking at the concept of stigma. Goffman shies away from the term deviance somewhat, instead using stigma as a deeply discrediting feature in an individual that makes other “normal” people categorise the individual as such. Drawing heavily from autobiographical and fictional accounts, this book really made me recognise a lot of social situations regarding the subject, both from the world of movies and novels, but also
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Jan 02, 2011
Dennis
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Though the text is not easy to read, the theoretical concept is simply briljant.
Jul 05, 2009
Vaughn
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the man is brilliant, i've always believed this, but narrative economy wouldn't hurt.
Feb 05, 2010
Omerakhayyam
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Amazing piece of work- so insightful and perceptive! Important word one should note is minstrelization and de-minstrelization.
Sep 24, 2011
Sarah
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This is written in an unnecessarily pedantic and obscure (read: Academic English at it worst) style. While the subject is fascinating, the author took great pains to present it in a horrifically dry and unpalatable way.
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Jun 10, 2010
Michael
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In Stigma (1963), Erving Goffman discusses the effects of stigma, "the situation of the individual who is disqualified from full social inclusion" (preface), something that makes others believe they are "not quite human" (5). One can respond to stigma through correction, indirect correction, or viewing it as a blessing. Goffman discusses how one manages stigma, through their social, personal, and ego identities.
Jul 13, 2008
Tara
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I read this book while I was preparing a paper for a conference. The book helped me think about how people manage their stigma and their discreditable identities every day. Goffman breaks down the quotidian interactions between people who are trying to conceal, manage or control some aspect of their identity that discredits them. It is a short essay; very easy to get through and very insightful
Jan 13, 2012
Natalie
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Read for class. It was interesting, although I felt like I knew most of what this book had to say. Still, it opened up questions and thoughts that I probably wouldn't have given time if I hadn't read this book.
Apr 05, 2008
Kate
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Another Goffman classic. How do you present yourself if you are touched by scandal or some other socially unacceptable malady? What if you were an ex-con, or you had a murderer in the family? How does one cope with the label of mental illness or a stigmatizing physical illness? Fascinating, empathic sociological study.
Mar 05, 2008
Megan
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I am currently reading Stigma and really enjoying it. I was supposed to read my second year in my sosc class but was taking organic chemistry at the time, so now I'm finally getting to it. It's fun reading about the ways in which identity is managed.
Oct 06, 2011
Igor
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According to society standards we all encounter some stigma state someday and somehow. It's much more common than we think. If you like hard encoded science books about sociology issues regarding stigma than this book is "acceptable to read" :)
Jan 10, 2008
Tammy
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Interesting angles on how stigma occur and how life can be altered through stigmatization. I can relate to it easily but it opens my eyes to see what every other kind of stigmatization occurs to individuals and how identities are formed.
Dec 17, 2009
Gina
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an important "classic" in the stigma literature. the language (due to its date of publication) is outdated and so can appear offensive at times. still, the ideas presented are still vibrantly discussed today in psychology and sociology. a quick read
Sep 22, 2010
Julie
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I read this for bookclub awhile ago and forgot to add it! Thought provoking and one of our most intimate, engaging discussions of late. Somewhat outdated, but worthy of attention and draws one to self examination (which is always good).
Aug 10, 2008
Alicia
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Staple of sociological theory along with Presentation of Everyday Self. Though I don't agree with Goffman, his concepts really push you to think about personal interaction in a novel way.
