Although the study of prejudice has been a part of psychology since the inception of the field, the study of stigma—broadly defined as prejudice from the target’s perspective—has a much briefer history. This edited volume brings together original research that exemplifies the principal breakthroughs and insights within both subfields. The selected articles provide a balanced, contemporary perspective on the psychological processes relevant to improving intergroup relations. Primary sources foster an empirical, data-driven approach to the topic, and allow students to get a first-hand account of the research that defines the field.
The volume is divided into three sections: prejudice from the agent’s perspective, prejudice from the target’s perspective, and getting along across differences. Additional readings on the cultural specificity of psychological functioning are included to encourage the realization that one’s own experiences and viewpoints, though very real, are not universally shared. An essential resource for students, scholars, and activists alike, the selections in this volume reveal the relevance of science for fostering positive social change and vice versa.
Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton
is an associate professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and co-director of Berkeley’s Relationships and Social Cognition Laboratory. Early experiences living in Mexico, the U.S., Ivory Coast, and Thailand cemented a professional interest in cultural differences and intergroup relations. He received his B.A. from Yale University and his Ph.D. from Columbia University. He is a co-editor of the anthology
Are We Born Racist?
from Beacon Press and writes a blog by the same name for
Psychology Today
.