| Summary: | Despite extensive research on stigma, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of how industry
stigmatization progresses when constantly contested by resourceful incumbents. To shed light on this
issue, we focus on the revealing case of the U.S. tobacco industry between 1980 and 2016. Combining
structural topic modeling and discourse analysis to explore the extensive media discussions surrounding
the industry, we find that stigmatization unfolds through three phases, each characterized by discursive
struggles, which result in contested stigma extensions: contested stigma extension by establishing harm
(1980-1992), contested stigma extension by assigning responsibility (1993-2010), and contested stigma
extension by creating new norms (2011-2016). We develop a process model highlighting three key
mechanisms in stigmatization processes: attention, which shifts focus to new issues and discussions;
stigma construction work, where the stigmatizers use discursive strategies to establish stigma; and
resistance work, where targets use discursive strategies to slow down stigmatization. The interplay of
these mechanisms reveals that stigmatization is neither linear nor complete but characterized by partial
and contested stigma extensions. While acknowledging the limitations of our case, our study advances
research by showing how industry stigmatization persists even when challenged, opening new avenues
for future research in related settings.
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