INDIGMA Experiences of (in)dignity at the margins

Since WW2, the concept of human dignity is one of the clearest points of ‘overlapping consensus’ in the Western world. But with the widespread rise of autocratic and xenophobic sentiments the foundation for upholding the consensus is trembling. Many point to the experience of indignity of the ‘left-behinds’ to be at the center of this trend. However, we know very little about how this plays out at an individual level. What makes citizens feel included or excluded, worthy or unworthy in society? How may encounters with the labor market and welfare state institutions give rise to the experience of dignity or indignity? INDIGMA will explore these questions through ethnographic studies and shadowing of unemployed people. The project compares experiences of (in)dignity across three small communities in the peripheral areas in Denmark, France and the US. Hereby, the project will contribute to current debates on the dynamics of indignity and how they may be mitigated.