Stigma

First published in 1982. How do we account for such inconsistencies in public policy toward the disadvantaged? In instances where the civil rights of minority groups have been neglected, their relative lack of political power has no doubt been a factor, particularly when their demands have threatened the interests of the majority. Prejudice also plays a role. This book describes a program of research on people's reactions to blacks and the physically handicapped, categories that were selected because they seemed to be representative of a whole range of social classes that are generally seen as deviant but also as disadvantaged in their pursuit of life goals. The assumption is that this dual perception generates both hostile and compassionate dispositions.