The United States are often considered a class-less society with little to no social antagonism. This seminar challenges this assumption by looking at the literary and cultural representations of the working class and by working-class people throughout US history. The seminar is interested in the sense of community, protest, and resistance often associated with the idea of the working class but also in its exclusionary history. Throughout the semester we will be looking at literature (short stories, novels, poetry, autobiographical writing), popular culture (film, television shows, video games, social media), visual culture (photography, paintings), music, and journalistic writing to explore the representations of the working class. The seminar also aims to show the plurality of perspectives and voices within the broad notion of “the working class” by pursuing an intersectional approach. We will therefore think about working class in connection with questions of race, gender, able-bodiness, and sexual orientation.
- Lehrende(r): Dietmar Meinel