Stigma beyond levels: Advancing research on stigmatization

Rongrong Zhang, Milo Shaoqing Wang, Madeline Toubiana, Royston Greenwood

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

Stigma has become an increasingly significant challenge for society. Recognition of this problem is indicated by the growing attention to it within the management literature which has provided illuminating insights. However, stigma has primarily been examined at a single level of analysis: individual, occupational, organizational, or industry. Yet, cultural understandings of what is discreditable or taboo do not come from the individual, occupation, organization, or industry that is stigmatized; on the contrary, they come from particular sources that transcend levels. As such, we propose that current silos within the literature may not only be preventing engagement with insights from different levels of analysis, but, importantly, may be preventing us from truly understanding stigmatization as a social process. To address this issue, we review the stigma literature and then present an across level integrative framework of the sources, characteristics, and management strategies. Our framework provides a common language that integrates insights across these levels and enables a shift in attention from how actors respond to stigma to broader processes of stigmatization.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)88-222
JournalAcademy of Management Annals
Volume15
Issue number1
Early online date19 Oct 2020
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2021

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • stigma
  • stigmatization
  • dirty work
  • taboo
  • stigma management

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