How Recognition Can Help Heal a Divided World | Michèle Lamont

The Courageous Life

In her new book, Seeing Others: How Recognition Works, and How it Can Heal a Divided World, author and acclaimed Harvard sociologist, Michèle Lamont, makes the case for reexamining what we value to prioritize recognition—the quest for respect and dignity—in an age that has been defined by growing inequality and the obsolescence of the American dream.
In today's conversation we'll explore themes from Michèle's new book, and powerful insights from her nearly 40 year career as a researcher, including:

• An overview of the landscape of recognition including how, and why, the American Dream has become out of reach for most people.
• How younger generations, including Gen Z, have begun to create a new dream that centers around a more inclusive society.
• Inspiring stories of change agents, young adults, and cultural icons who are creating new narratives that have helped contribute to a greater sense of dignity and inclusion for groups that have been historically stigmatized.
• Narratives: what they are, how they work, and the power they hold to shape our culture and societal views .
• Why working with implicit bias - a well-intentioned strategy that corporations often focus on to foster more inclusion, often fails.
• Why focusing on reducing stigma may be a more effective path (than focusing on implicit bias) to creating inclusive cultures at work, and beyond.
• The power of shifting our focus to what we have in common, while also actively working to recognize the diverse ways one can live a life, can be catalysts for healing a divided world.

More about Michèle:

Michèle Lamont is a Professor of Sociology and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University, where she is also the Robert I. Goldman Professor of European studies. She served as the 108th President of the American Sociological Association and her research has received numerous awards, including honorary doctorates from six countries. The author or coauthor of over a dozen books, she can be found on MicheleLamont.org.
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