Stigma

The groundbreaking, compassionate work of the renowned sociologist on the treatment of people who are different. "By definition, we naturally believe that the person with a stigma is not fully human." In ancient times, stigmas were physical marks placed on individuals deemed unfit for society. Today, social stigma shames those considered "abnormal" in more subtle ways. Erving Goffman's pioneering sociological study extensively draws on the experiences of people on the margins of society to examine the complex ways in which stigmatized individuals see and project themselves, the strategies they employ to cope with rejection, and how stigma can destroy their relationships with others. "His brilliant book," Guardian.