Author Archives: sarahattfield

Is ‘Doing Your Best’ Ever Enough When You Are Working Class?

Posted on June 23, 2019

In 2016, I wrote about how Ken Loach’s film I, Daniel Blake illustrated the impact of the draconian British welfare system on working-class people. Watching that film was a visceral experience, so much so that I still can’t bring myself … Continue reading →

Posted in Class and the Media, Contributors, Issues, Sarah Attfield, The Working Class and the Economy | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Notre Dame Cathedral and Questions from a Worker Who Reads (after Bertolt Brecht)

Posted on April 22, 2019

When Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire in Paris on April 15, 400 firefighters were deployed to tackle the blaze. One of those workers was seriously injured, and two police officers were also hurt. Emergency workers risked their lives to remove … Continue reading →

Posted in Class and the Media, Contributors, Issues, Sarah Attfield, Work | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

What Does the New Doctor Who Offer Working-Class Whovians?

Posted on October 15, 2018

The new season of British Sci-Fi show, Doctor Who has created a buzz due to the casting of a woman to play the Doctor for the first time in the show’s fifty-five-year history. I’ve been a life-long fan – the … Continue reading →

Posted in Class and the Media, Contributors, Issues, Sarah Attfield | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

The Royal Family and Their Working-Class Fans

Posted on May 7, 2018

With babies, engagements, and impending weddings, the media have a never-ending supply of stories about the British royal family. While most focus on the younger members, the Queen is never too far away. Various anniversaries are marked with pomp and … Continue reading →

Posted in Class and the Media, Contributors, Sarah Attfield, Understanding Class | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Working-Class People on the Snowfields: Class at the Winter Olympics

Posted on February 26, 2018

The combination of renewed interest in Tonya Harding (due to the film, I, Tonya) and the winter Olympics made me think of class and sport lately – especially sports that involve snow and ice. Although winter sports might be considered … Continue reading →

Posted in Class and the Media, Contributors, Issues, Sarah Attfield | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Working-Class Women Unionists on the Front Lines

Posted on December 11, 2017

On November 16, 2017, thousands of construction workers walked off their job sites to march through central Sydney in protest against laws designed to limit the power of unions in the construction industry. Workers from many unions joined the ‘Stop … Continue reading →

Posted in Class at the Intersections, Contributors, Issues, Labor and Community Activism, Sarah Attfield | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Activist Art in Working-Class Communities

Posted on September 25, 2017

The impacts of government sell-offs of public housing on working-class communities are highlighted in new documentary film released in the UK. Dispossession: The Great Social Housing Swindle (2017), features experts and politicians, but at its heart are the working-class people … Continue reading →

Posted in Class and the Media, Contributors, Issues, Sarah Attfield, Working-Class Culture | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments