What does it mean?
In sociology, ‘stigma’ is particularly associated with the work of Erving Goffman. He described (1963) the concept as: ‘The phenomenon whereby an individual with an attribute which is deeply discredited by his/her society is rejected as a result of the attribute.’ Note the importance here of ‘social construction’. The stigma (for example a physical handicap) in itself is ‘neutral’, but it is society’s reaction to, and rejection of, the stigmatised person or group that leads to the person or group being viewed as ‘undesirable’ and/or ‘an outsider’.
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