Inequality in the Origins and Experiences of Pain: What “Big (Qualitative) Data” Reveal About Social Suffering in the United States

Among the co-authors of this new article are three affiliates of the Center for Ethnographic Research: Corey Abramson, Zhuofan Li, and Martín Sánchez-Jankowski. This study examines how Americans’ narratives of pain are connected to social inequalities and suffering. Their findings demonstrate (1) that pain is commonly described as a challenge that shapes everyday life, (2) that pain narratives often invoke morality and distinction, and (3) that narratives diverge around discussions of unequal medical treatment, illness identities, vulnerability and suffering.