This workshop will show how working and middle class cultures are based on fundamental cultural differences, while elements of popular culture infuse each and leave working class cultures invisible. These differences also create invisible cultural barriers for working and poverty class students in higher education. Jensen will explain classism (the invisible ism) and tell stories that describe the difficulties of working- to middle-class “crossovers” or “straddlers.” She will also provide opportunities for class-crossovers to mine their own lives for useful knowledge; for people from middle-class backgrounds to understand the effect of class in their own lives, as well as ways to provide support and validation to working class students.
This workshop will include storytelling from Barbara’s book, experiential learning, and lively discussion about working class cultures in America.
Powerpoint needed.
About the presenterBarbara Jensen
Barbara Jensen is a licensed counseling and community psychologist, who has a 25-year history of working with working class clients in her private practice. She is also employed as a school psychologist at Loring Nicollet Alternative [high] School (also 25 years). She was adjunct faculty at Metropolitan State University for 20 years, a position she gave up to work on her book project. She has published many articles, including the closing essay in What’s Class Got to Do With It (Zweig, ed. 2004) Her full-length book on social class and culture differences: Reading Classes; On culture and Classism in America came out late in 2012. At Metro State she designed and taught the Psychology of Women, Counseling Women, and Community Psychology in the psychology department; Counseling Theories and Techniques in the Human Services department; and Working in America in Social Science. She is a founding mother of the Working Class Studies Association, co-chaired its first conference at Macalester College in 2007, and has just finished her position as president of the association in June 2014.