Recalibrating Stigma: Sociologies of Health and Illness - Paperback

by Andrew Guise (Contribution by), Simone Helleren (Contribution by), River Ujhadbor (Contribution by)

Available open access digitally under CC-BY-NC-ND licence.

Stigma has long been a central concern for social scientists studying health and illness. Yet, in existing work, stigma often escapes definition and clarification, is treated as universal and constant, and becomes a vague catch-all term for a range of conditions and situations.

This book initiates a process of recalibrating the conceptualisation of stigma. The book features original analyses from early- and mid-career scholars focusing on diverse issues, including mental health, racism, sex, HIV, reproduction, obesity, eating disorders, self-harm, exercise, drug use, COVID-19, and disability.

This ambitious book offers new perspectives to stimulate and intensify conversations around stigma, and highlights the valuable contributions of sociological approaches to understanding health and illness.

Author Biography

Gareth M. Thomas is Reader in the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University.

Oli Williams is Lecturer in Co-designing Healthcare Interventions at King's College London.

Tanisha Spratt is Senior Lecturer in Racism and Health at King's College London.

Amy Chandler is Professor of the Sociology of Health and Illness at the University of Edinburgh.