Michèle Lamont, Seeing Others: How Recognition Works and How it Can Help Heal A Divided World

Michèle Lamont presents at the April 2025 General Meeting in Philadelphia Professor of Sociology and African and African American Studies and Robert I. Goldman Professor of European Studies Harvard University Seeing Others: How Recognition Works and How it Can Help Heal a Divided World Decades of neoliberalism have negatively impacted our sense of self-worth, up and down the income ladder, just as the American dream has become out of reach for most people. By prioritizing material and professional success, we have judged ourselves and others in terms of self-reliance, competition, and diplomas, feeding into the marginalization of workers, people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and minority groups. The solution, Lamont argues, is to shift our focus towards what we have in common while actively working to recognize the diverse ways one can live a life.