tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20099192.post7455844142072712434..comments2024-01-28T03:35:51.182-05:00Comments on Reassigned Time: Negotiating Class Identity in the AcademyDr. Crazyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12457967076373916629noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20099192.post-92130535536898302212008-07-05T19:48:00.000-04:002008-07-05T19:48:00.000-04:00Fantastic. One of the remarks in the original art...Fantastic. <BR/><BR/>One of the remarks in the original articles (part two, "riddle") stuck with me: <I>"One of the things that was fascinating to me was the extent to which seminar participants did not want to engage with class, but rather were distracted or drifted off into discussions of race or gender."</I> I think we often confuse the two in our college's discussion of "diversity". Poor white students face greater challenges than black students from an upper class background, even ones who are refugees from a place like Darfur. <BR/><BR/>That was still in my head when I was reading an article about Rev. Wright in the April 7 New Yorker. There is a discussion about class within his church on pg 34, with a reference to the parishioners having to negotiate "the crosshatched lines of race and class" and an earlier block quote from Obama's book about how the church crossed class lines. The role of class in problems that are often viewed as 'racial' gives me something to think about. <BR/><BR/>Related, but separate topic:<BR/><BR/>An article in the NY Times about "class" in US society came with some<BR/>really interesting interactive graphics. <BR/><A HREF="http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/national/20050515_CLASS_GRAPHIC/index_01.html" REL="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/national/20050515_CLASS_GRAPHIC/index_01.html</A><BR/>The first one lets you rank yourself, the second tab looks at class, education, and professions, while the third one is particularly relevant here: mobility. The role of education is dramatic, particularly the "some college" effect.Doctor Pionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12513786840852469648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20099192.post-5521010950100941702008-07-04T12:19:00.000-04:002008-07-04T12:19:00.000-04:00Thanks for this. My sense is that the other impo...Thanks for this. My sense is that the other important thing about people from working class backgrounds is that they understand that class exists -- as bell hooks says, there are things you see from the margins.<BR/><BR/>I love your bit about not feeling guilty about privilege, but acknowledging it. I'd just add to that, deciding how you want to use it -- just to make sure you stay at the top of the heap, or to help others join you.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09716705206734059708noreply@blogger.com