Lazy, Crazy, and Disgusting: Stigma and the Undoing of Global Health

Stigma is a dehumanizing process that can create new and damaging stigma, even when well-intentioned public health campaigns are successful. In Lazy, Crazy, and Disgusting, medical anthropologists Alexandra Brewis and Amber Wutich explore how stigmas act as a massive driver of global disease and suffering, killing or sickening billions every year. They offer potential solutions to prevent, challenge, and fix stigma, such as stigma elimination, which must be recognized as a necessary and core component of all global health efforts.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 29 March 2022
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press

Stigma is a dehumanizing process that involves shaming and blaming individuals based on their perceived value within society. In their book "Lazy, Crazy, and Disgusting," medical anthropologists Alexandra Brewis and Amber Wutich delve into a darker aspect of public health, highlighting how well-intentioned public health campaigns can inadvertently create new and damaging stigmas, despite their apparent success.

Brewis and Wutich present a novel and comprehensive argument about the role of stigma in driving global disease and suffering. They argue that stigmas act as a significant factor in the deaths and illnesses of billions of people every year. The authors focus on three complex and challenging global health efforts: providing sanitation to all, treating mental illness, and preventing obesity. Through detailed analysis and ethnographic evidence, they explain how and why humans readily stigmatize certain groups, how this derails ongoing public health efforts, and the detrimental impact it has on individuals who are already at risk.

The book also explores the ease with which new stigmas enter the realm of global health and considers the challenges associated with destigmatization. Brewis and Wutich propose potential solutions that may aid in preventing, challenging, and ultimately fixing stigma. They conclude that the elimination of stigma must be recognized as a fundamental component of all global health efforts.

"Lazy, Crazy, and Disgusting" is a powerful and thought-provoking book that sheds light on the detrimental effects of stigma on public health. Through their meticulous research and compelling storytelling, Brewis and Wutich provide a valuable contribution to the field of anthropology and global health. Their book serves as a call to action, urging individuals, organizations, and governments to address stigma and work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society.

Weight: 386g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781421443256