The Disqualification of Knowledge

Abstract

While prior chapters of this book focus on psychiatry, this chapter explains how disqualification—the stigmatization of facts, science, and knowledge—unfolds outside of psychiatry. The chapter analyses diverse cases—including sociologist Robert Merton, the Trump administration’s cuts to science funding, and the replication crisis in psychology—to develop disqualification as a concept. The chapter expands on disqualification by contrasting it to Goffman’s theory of stigma, as well as conceptualizations of strategic ignorance. The chapter then connects disqualification to social inequalities, including race, class, and gender. It argues that socially advantaged groups can more readily resist disqualification, while disqualification can compound other forms of social marginalization that impact someone’s participation in science. The chapter explains how disqualification can spread through social networks. It concludes by discussing sacred knowledge, which are claims that if questioned, can result in disqualification. The chapter emphasizes that disqualification is a unique form of stigma, while demonstrating that it is useful for understanding many cases across many contexts.