Towards an empirically robust theory of stigma resistance in the 'new' sociology of stigma: Everyday resistance in sheltered workshops.

This article examines everyday stigma resistance among young men with mild intellectual disabilities working in sheltered workshops in the Netherlands, contributing to the recent revival of the sociology of stigma. Based on 19 months of ethnographic research, it identifies three subtle and implicit anti-stigma practices: (1) redirecting stigma by distancing oneself from more dependent peers, (2) replacing dominant norms of independence and productivity with local norms of streetwise masculinity, and (3) redefining dependency as a universal human condition of interdependency through collaboration with professionals and volunteers. The study highlights that everyday resistance is ambivalent, simultaneously challenging and reproducing stigmatising norms, and that resistance is often motivated by diverse desires and needs rather than explicit political intent. These findings call for a nuanced, empirically grounded theory of stigma resistance that recognizes the agency of stigmatised individuals beyond organised collective action.