COB Faculty Dr. Lena Cavusoglu Wins Prestigious Research Award at ACR-AP 2024 Conference

Dr. Cavusoglu, marketing faculty of the College of Business, has been recognized with the Best Consumer Culture Theory Competitive Paper Runner-Up Award at the 2024 Association for Consumer Research (ACR) Asia-Pacific Conference held in Bali, Indonesia, from July 8-11, 2024.

Dr. Cavusoglu's award-winning paper, co-authored with Professor Russell Belk from York University, Canada, is titled "Reclaiming Identity in the Face of Stigma." The research investigates the experiences of people with facial differences and their journey toward identity acceptance in the marketplace. By exploring how an oppressed group reclaims stigmatized identities, the study reveals the ways in which individuals resist derogatory labels by discontinuing the use of cosmetics, surgeries, and prosthetics meant to hide their differences. This significant work extends the understanding of identity reclamation and empowerment in the face of stigma.

Given the quantity and quality of the submissions to this prestigious and competitive conference, it is truly a blessing and an honor for Dr. Cavusoglu to receive this recognition.

This award not only highlights her impactful contributions to Consumer Culture Theory (CCT) but also underscores COB’s role in advancing thought leadership and academic excellence on the global stage.