Introduction

This opening chapter introduces the concept of a sociological social psychology of prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination. A sociological social psychology able to drive new socio-psychological analyses of the most pressing social problems of our age addresses prejudice primarily as a phenomenon embedded in the social organisation of societies and connected to structural factors and larger societal systems. The relevance of a sociological social psychology is discussed in relation to issues connected to law, employment, public policy, mental health, education; the experiences of underrepresented targets of prejudice; implicit and subtle prejudices in social context; prejudice, identity and emotions; and the language of prejudice. The intellectual thrust of this handbook is situated in social psychology although chapters in this volume discuss the social psychology of prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination based on incursions in, and dialogue with, sociology, social policy, clinical psychology, and feminist social science.