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The traditional literature on stigma focuses on identifying factors contributing to the harmful impact of stigmas on the lives of stigmatized individuals. This focus, however, cannot explain the many cases of individuals possessing a stigmatized identity flourishing in our society. This article investigates the processes that successful stigmatized individuals use to overcome the harmful consequences of stigmatization. Specifically, this article reviews three processes: (1) compensation; (2) strategic interpretations of the social environment; & (3) focusing on multiple identities that have been identified in the literature to help stigmatized individuals handle prejudice & discrimination. Moreover, successful individuals adopt an "empowerment" model as opposed to a "coping" model when dealing with stigma. In other words, successful individuals view overcoming the adversities associated with stigma as an empowering process, as opposed to a depleting process. This discussion underscores the importance of adopting a new approach to gain a fuller understanding of the experience of being stigmatized. 54 References. [Copyright 2004 Sage Publications, Inc.]

Social science research on stigma has grown dramatically over the past two decades, particularly in social psychology, where researchers have elucidated the ways in which people construct cognitive categories and link those categories to stereotyped beliefs. In the midst of this growth, the stigma concept has been criticized as being too vaguely defined and individually focused. In response to these criticisms, we define stigma as the co-occurrence of its components–labeling, stereotyping, separation, status loss, and discrimination–and further indicate that for stigmatization to occur, power must be exercised. The stigma concept we construct has implications for understanding several core issues in stigma research, ranging from the definition of the concept to the reasons stigma sometimes represents a very persistent predicament in the lives of persons affected by it. Finally, because there are so many stigmatized circumstances and because stigmatizing processes can affect multiple domains of people's lives, stigmatization probably has a dramatic bearing on the distribution of life chances in such areas as earnings, housing, criminal involvement, health, and life itself. It follows that social scientists who are interested in understanding the distribution of such life chances should also be interested in stigma.

The traditional literature on stigma focuses on identifying factors contributing to the harmful impact of stigmas on the lives of stigmatized individuals. This focus, however, cannot explain the many cases of individuals possessing a stigmatized identity flourishing in our society. This article investigates the processes that successful stigmatized individuals use to overcome the harmful consequences of stigmatization. Specifically, this article reviews three processes: (1) compensation; (2) strategic interpretations of the social environment; and (3) focusing on multiple identities that have been identified in the literature to help stigmatized individuals handle prejudice and discrimination. Moreover, successful individuals adopt an "empowerment" model as opposed to a "coping" model when dealing with stigma. In other words, successful individuals view overcoming the adversities associated with stigma as an empowering process, as opposed to a depleting process. This discussion underscores the importance of adopting a new approach to gain a fuller understanding of the experience of being stigmatized.

Analyzes the importance of charismatic authority in traditional societies, especially during the so-called watershed times. Max Weber was the first sociologist to explore the concept of charisma & charismatic authority within the context of legitimate political authority. Charisma is a quality of a person because of which they are deemed exceptional & due to which their followers consider them possessed of some rare supernatural & superhuman powers or traits. Such a person is thought of as God-given or laudable & is consequently looked up to as a leader. The author points to the link between stigma & charisma in the study by the German sociologist Wolfgang Lipp. Using his insights as the starting point, the author tries to illustrate his thesis by means of Tudman's case. How do stigma & charisma under certain historical circumstances merge in one person, enhancing the final impact on certain historical movements? In every society in watershed periods, when one political paradigm replaces another, when people get confused, stigma & charisma may be the focal points of a new fulcrum, a new identity. Under such circumstances, one must delineate both the outer & the inner boundaries between "these" & "those," "us" & "them." These boundaries (ethnic, confessional, & national) are time & again confirmed through glorifying the leader & ostracizing "the undesirables." In wartime, the emotional component is particularly pronounced. The bulk of the population identifies with the charismatic paragon. In such a context, it is a point of pride to be, for example, a Croat. However, this is only perfunctory, a mere ideology for the ignorant & manipulated populace. Under the surface, however, economic/political battles are raging, struggle for the redistribution of power by means of, among other things, getting rid of the competition by ethnic labeling. When stigma becomes a "lethal weapon" of a political movement, the consequences are unpredictable. Both stigma & charisma not infrequently end up in monstrosities. The events on the territory of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s are an obvious example. 23 References. Adapted from the source document.

Analyzes the importance of charismatic authority in traditional societies, especially during the so-called watershed times. Max Weber was the first sociologist to explore the concept of charisma & charismatic authority within the context of legitimate political authority. Charisma is a quality of a person because of which they are deemed exceptional & due to which their followers consider them possessed of some rare supernatural & superhuman powers or traits. Such a person is thought of as God-given or laudable & is consequently looked up to as a leader. The author points to the link between stigma & charisma in the study by the German sociologist Wolfgang Lipp. Using his insights as the starting point, the author tries to illustrate his thesis by means of Tudman's case. How do stigma & charisma under certain historical circumstances merge in one person, enhancing the final impact on certain historical movements? In every society in watershed periods, when one political paradigm replaces another, when people get confused, stigma & charisma may be the focal points of a new fulcrum, a new identity. Under such circumstances, one must delineate both the outer & the inner boundaries between "these" & "those," "us" & "them." These boundaries (ethnic, confessional, & national) are time & again confirmed through glorifying the leader & ostracizing "the undesirables." In wartime, the emotional component is particularly pronounced. The bulk of the population identifies with the charismatic paragon. In such a context, it is a point of pride to be, for example, a Croat. However, this is only perfunctory, a mere ideology for the ignorant & manipulated populace. Under the surface, however, economic/political battles are raging, struggle for the redistribution of power by means of, among other things, getting rid of the competition by ethnic labeling. When stigma becomes a "lethal weapon" of a political movement, the consequences are unpredictable. Both stigma & charisma not infrequently end up in monstrosities. The events on the territory of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s are an obvious example. 23 References. Adapted from the source document.

This chapter explores what might be learnt about physiotherapy by considering its intersection with stigma. Stigma was described by Goffman as a phenomenon whereby an individual has an attribute that is deeply discredited by society, and is rejected as a result as a result of the attribute; where "normal identity" is "spoilt" by the process of stigmatisation. From a post-structuralist critical perspective, stigma is not static or finite but is (re)constructed in various social, historical, cultural and political environments. A characteristic that is stigmatised in one context may not be in another. Considering this, the context of physiotherapy has the possibility to (re)create or (re)inforce stigmatisation of certain attributes not only in ways that may reflect general societal stigma, but also in ways that may be specific to the profession. In this chapter, we discuss stigma in physiotherapy broadly, considering what it is about physiotherapy that may contribute to the discrediting of certain attributes. We use the example of weight stigma, a topical and little explored form of stigma that is becoming more evident in healthcare in the current climate of "the obesity epidemic". We draw from empirical research, definitions and narratives of physiotherapy in different countries (particularly our home countries of Nigeria and Australia) to help examine weight stigma in physiotherapy. We explore how weight stigma is enacted in a physiotherapy context – a profession in which there is an inherent focus on bodies. We conclude with a discussion of possibilities for the physiotherapy profession to learn from a greater consideration of stigma