Exploring Class and Classism - PowerPoint Presentation

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Exploring Class and Classism

St. Olaf

CILA Luncheon

10-22-13

Prof. Sharon Lane-Getaz

MSCS and Education

Classism in the News…

Steve

Sack,

Minneapolis

Star

Tribune

, September

21,

2013

Exploring Class and Classism

Ground Rules and Definitions

“Ground Rules”

What do we mean by “class?”

What do we mean by “classism?”

Identify the social class in which we were raised

Identify strengths/limitations

of

our

social

class

Share

how our social class shaped our

world

Wrap

up

I. “Ground Rules” and Definitions

“Ground Rules”

We agree that we are born into our class status: no blame, no shame, and no credit!

We agree that each social class has strengths and limitations.

We agree to be confidential about all we share today.

We agree to be honest, respectful and sensitive to each other.

What do we mean by “class?”

Class is a relative social rank in terms of

income, wealth, property ownership, job status, education, skills, or power in the economic and political sphere.

Class

is determined not just by “economic capital” (what you earn or own) but also by “social capital” (who you know) and “cultural capital” (what you know).

Class

identity affects us on the personal and emotional level, not just in economic

terms.

Class

influences how we feel about ourselves and others

.

Source: Class Action,

www.classism.org

What do we mean by “classism?”

Classism is when someone is treated differently—better or worse—because of their class (or perceived class).

Classism

is similar in many ways to racism, sexism, heterosexism and other forms of oppression.

Classism

appears individually through attitudes and behaviors, institutionally through policies and practices, and culturally through norms and values.

Classism is

the tendency to make

generalizations

or stereotypes about people, such as “Poor people are lazy.”

Source: Class Action,

www.classism.org

II. Identify Your Social Class at age 10

Think of answers to the

following questions based

on your family situation when you were 10 years

old (not now).

Move to a station (numbered) in the room based on your answer to each question.

Stop and look around

you after each question.

As

you shift between

stations, who is with you? Does this change from question to question?

Source: Class Action,

www.classism.org

Identifying Social Class, Question 1:

What was your parents’ (either

mothers’

or

fathers’)

level of education

when you were 10

?

Station:

1 – Less

than high school 2 – High school

3 – Associate

degree / technical

training

4 – College

5 –

Masters, Professional certifications

6 – Advanced degree(s)

Source: Class Action,

www.classism.org

Identifying Social Class, Question 2:

What

type of work

did your parents

do (either mothers

or

fathers) to

earn

income when you were 10,

if

anything? Station: 1 – Unskilled labor/Minimum wage jobs,

unemployed

2 – Skilled / blue or pink collar worker

3 – Salaried / manager (factory management, secretary)

4 – Professional career (teacher, nurse, manager, lawyer)

5

–

Top managers, partners, doctors, government officials

6 – Inheritance/investment (CEO, stockholder)

Source: Class Action,

www.classism.org

Identifying Social Class, Question 3:

How would

you best

describe

your family home

at age

10

?

Station:

1 – Public

housing, homeless shelter, lived with others 2 – Rental housing

3 – Owned home

4 – Owned

home and

could/did

trade

up

5

– Owned

multiple residences 6 – Inherited home(s

) and properties

Source: Class Action,

www.classism.org

Consider stations most occupied,

your

Social Class is…

1 – Low income / poor

2 – Working class

3 – Working

middle

class

4 – Professional middle class

5 –

Upper middle class

6

– Owning class

Source: Class Action,

www.classism.org

III. Strengths/limitations

of

your Social Class

Within

your class groups

appoint a scribe to take notes to share about your group discussion with the large group.

What can you come to agreement on concerning …

What you all have in

common

.

The key

strengths

or advantages of

growing up

in your class.

The

key

limitations

or disadvantages of

growing up in your class. (~15 minutes)

Source: Class Action,

www.classism.org

IV. How has social class shaped

your world?

Report back about what your group had in common, your key strengths and limitations of growing up in your social class.

What have we learned?

(~15 minutes)

Source: Class Action,

www.classism.org

Parting thoughts…

Americans believe we live in a “classless society.”

About 80%-90% of the US population consider themselves middle class.

The US social class breakdown is:

Low income and poor ~20%

Working class, blue or pink collar

~30%

Working

middle

and professional ~40%

Upper middle

class

~ 7

%

Owning

class

~

2-3

%

Class Action,

www.classism.org

George

Lakey

,

http://www.trainingforchange.org/george_lakey

What can we do to end classism?

Change

our

attitudes and class consciousness

Support a fair economy without extremes of wealth and poverty

Uproot racism, sexism, and class oppression which perpetuate the status quo

Eradicate classism in institutions, policies, and

politics

Ideas for starting to level the playing field…

View the

(Sept 2013

) TED Talk:

How to keep the plutocracy from becoming an aristocracy: Q&A with

Chrystia

 Freeland.

http://blog.ted.com/2013/09/05/how-to-keep-the-plutocracy-from-becoming-an-aristocracy-a-qa-with-chrystia-freeland/

Refer to the Class Action

web site (“Action”

section):

www.classism.org

Resources

Lakey

, George.

Director

,

Training for Change

http

://

www.trainingforchange.org/george_lakey

Leondar Wright, Betsy. Program Director, ClassAction

, 30 Germania St, Building L, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

www.classism.org

Sack, Steve. Political cartoon:

http

://

portside.org/2013-09-21/how-incentives-work