A Conversation on Seeing Others with Michèle Lamont

The Academy hosted an event with President David Oxtoby in conversation with Michèle Lamont about the power of dignity and respect to heal our splintered society. A renowned sociologist, Lamont examines how judgments about morality are used to justify all kinds of exclusion, and how shared views on “who matters” shape social hierarchies across all areas of our personal and professional lives.

At the gathering, Lamont led a discussion related to concepts in her newest book, Seeing Others: How Recognition Works and How it Can Heal a Divided World. Informed by both historical examples and contemporary preoccupations, questions considered included: What successful strategies have entertainment, advocacy, and other fields used to reduce stigma, bridge difference, and foster dignity for all? Is inclusion replacing the American Dream as our go-to narrative of hope in the face of mounting inequality? And can the youngest Americans show us the way beyond identity traps?