Diana Ocampo Belloso
dianaocampobelloso@wcfia.harvard.edu
Most occupational stigma research has looked at variations in stigmatization across occupations. Yet a few studies have also noted varying levels of perceived occupational stigma among members within a given occupation. To explore and explain this puzzle, we leverage observations, interviews, and archives with hagwon teachers or South Korean supplementary education workers. Despite this being a seemingly respected occupation, and despite almost all hagwon teachers holding prestigious educational credentials, we document a varying intra-occupational perception of stigma: some teachers viewed their work as highly stigmatized, whereas others much less so. Our analysis further reveals that differences in teachers’ social class backgrounds explained in part such variations. The norms and values permeating higher-class teachers’ close communities (particularly their families and schoolmates) heightened their perceptions of stigma. In contrast, lower-class members’ lesser embeddedness in peer or school communities buffered them from stigmatization. Moreover, it was those coming from higher-class backgrounds but not the most privileged who seemed to suffer most from this stigma. Our findings spotlight how social class shapes members’ perceived occupational stigma, the challenging position of relatively less privileged elites juggling competing value systems, and the potential protective effect of lower social class backgrounds in some occupational pursuits.
This event is cosponsored by the Korea Institute.
LOCATION:CGIS Knafel, Bowie-Vernon Room (K262) STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART:20251202T170000Z DTEND:20251202T181500Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR