Previous Research on Education and The Hidden Injuries of Class. My Educational Career Compared

Abstract

In this chapter, I show how the hidden injuries of class continue into adulthood. In my previous research on social class (reprinted in this chapter), I found that a large segment of the white working-class are angry; they lash out at middle- and upper-middle-class, college-educated, white-collar workers. Their frustration with their current economic situation pushed them to lash out at the “other.” The lack of self-confidence, again, reared its head as an important issue for understanding their feelings, even as adults. The working-class parents used words such as “maybe” and “hopefully” when discussing their children’s chances of going to college. Interestingly, working-class women were found to be somewhat less angry and bitter. Some possible explanations for this finding are offered. Meanwhile, middle-class parents “assumed” their children will attend college and go on to successful “careers.” This chapter will also introduce the idea behind “hard” vs. “settled” living working-class families.