Getting Respect: Responding to Stigma and Discrimination in the United States, Brazil, and Israel

Getting Respect examines how minority groups in three countries experience and respond to discrimination and stigma in their daily lives. The study focuses on African Americans in the U.S., Black Brazilians in Brazil, and Arab Palestinians, Ethiopian Jews, and Mizrahi Jews in Israel. Through interviews with hundreds of participants, Lamont and her co-authors document personal accounts of discrimination across various settings - from workplaces to public spaces. The research compares cultural contexts and historical backgrounds that shape each group's strategies for maintaining dignity and demanding recognition. The analysis reveals patterns in how different societies define membership and belonging, along with variations in anti-discrimination laws and social policies. This cross-cultural comparison highlights both universal experiences and distinct national differences in how marginalized groups navigate stigma. The work contributes to broader conversations about identity, racism, and social exclusion while examining how institutional structures and cultural narratives influence individual responses to discrimination.

Readers note this book offers comparative analysis of discrimination across three countries through detailed interviews. They highlight the methodological rigor and breadth of research, with over 400 interviews conducted. Positives cited: - Clear framework for understanding how different groups respond to discrimination - Strong empirical evidence and first-hand accounts - Useful comparisons between countries and minority groups - Accessible writing style despite academic content Criticisms include: - Heavy focus on methodology over analysis - Some repetitive sections - Limited discussion of potential solutions - Needs more historical context Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (23 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (8 ratings) Notable review quote: "The comparative approach reveals fascinating differences in how stigmatization is experienced and confronted across cultural contexts" - Goodreads reviewer Several academic reviewers praise the book's contribution to understanding everyday experiences of discrimination, while noting it serves better as a research reference than general reading.

The Dignity of Working Men by Michèle Lamont A sociological study examining how working-class men across racial and ethnic lines construct their sense of self-worth and respond to perceived disrespect.

Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity by Erving Goffman A foundational text that analyzes how individuals manage social stigma and navigate discrimination in their daily lives.

The Weight of the World: Social Suffering in Contemporary Society by Pierre Bourdieu A collection of interviews and analyses that reveal how people from different social classes experience and cope with various forms of social suffering and discrimination.

Race in the Making: Cognition, Culture, and the Child's Construction of Human Kinds by Lawrence Hirschfeld An investigation into how children develop concepts of race and social categories, and how these understandings contribute to discrimination patterns.

Racial Domination, Racial Progress: The Sociology of Race in America by Matthew Desmond and Mustafa Emirbayer A comprehensive examination of how racial hierarchies persist in modern institutions and how different groups respond to racial inequality.

🔹 Michele Lamont's research team conducted over 400 in-depth interviews across three countries to understand how different minority groups experience and respond to discrimination, revealing distinct patterns in each society. 🔹 The book challenges the common assumption that racism manifests similarly across cultures by showing how Brazilian, American, and Israeli contexts create unique forms of exclusion and coping mechanisms. 🔹 In Brazil, respondents were more likely to minimize or downplay experiences of racism, while African Americans were more likely to directly confront discrimination and name it as such. 🔹 Michele Lamont, a Harvard professor of sociology and African American studies, has won numerous awards for her work, including the 2017 Erasmus Prize for her contributions to social sciences. 🔹 The research revealed that Ethiopian Jews in Israel often experience discrimination differently from both Black Americans and Afro-Brazilians, highlighting how religious identity intersects with racial discrimination in unique ways.