- Working-Class Perspectives offers weekly commentaries on current issues related to working-class people and communities. Contributors discuss a variety of issues, from what class means to how it intersects with race and gender to how class is shaping American politics. We welcome relevant comments of 500 words or less.
For questions or comments about this blog, e-mail Sherry Linkon. For assistance with news stories about working-class politics and culture, call or e-mail John Russo, 330-207-8085. Categories
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The State of the Working Class
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Category Archives: Kathy M. Newman
Christmas (and Class) Behind the Scenes
I love Christmas movies because they are always about work. Want to see executive fat cats who are forced to work on Christmas Eve? Check out Scrooged, Elf, and The Family Man. Want to see elves being mistreated, overworked, and … Continue reading
Posted in Class and the Media, Contributors, Issues, Kathy M. Newman
Tagged Elf, Holiday movies, Netflix, workers
2 Comments
No Class: Why You Should Be Getting Your Labor News from Teen Vogue
Last Wednesday NBA players refused to take the court for their playoff games in order to protest the latest police shooting of an unarmed Black man, Jacob Blake of Kenosha, Wisconsin, who survived the shooting but is now paralyzed. In … Continue reading
Class, Capitalism, and Coronovirus at Disney’s Newest Attraction
Last week the Coronavirus forced Disney to announce that its American parks are now closed indefinitely, resulting in the longest interruptions of any kind since they opened in 1955 (Disneyland) and 1965 (Walt Disney World). Disney has been on my … Continue reading
Posted in Class and the Media, Contributors, Issues, Kathy M. Newman
Tagged coronavirus, Disney World, Rise of the Resistance, Star Wars
6 Comments
Working-Class Christmas
During this Christmas season, there is a tweet making the rounds that shows the number of paid vacation days in thirteen different countries by law: France 30 Denmark 25 Finland 25 Norway 25 Sweden 25 … Continue reading
Censoring the Working Class
Does the first amendment work the same for all Americans? What kind of freedoms do working people have to read, look at, and say what they want? The subject is on my mind this month as I gear up to … Continue reading
Doris Day: Working-Class Hero
Doris Day was one of the hardest working entertainers of the 1950s and 1960s, as well as one of the highest paid female singers/actresses of all time. Many of us probably associate Doris Day with a certain kind of middlebrow … Continue reading
Posted in Class and the Media, Contributors, Issues, Kathy M. Newman
Tagged Class and the Media, Doris Day, Pajama Game, working-class culture
1 Comment
Class(room) Warfare
The actress Felicity Huffman—along with 13 other parents charged in the college admissions scandal—entered plea deals last week, putting pressure on actress Lori Laughlin and her husband, designer Mossimo Giannulli, to do the same. Prosecutors are hinting that if Laughlin … Continue reading
ABC Sitcom The Conners: The Struggle is Real
Life expectancy for Americans has fallen to an average of 78.6 years. This is a drop from the most recent estimates—indicating a downward trend that is virtually unheard of in Western countries. A report just released from the Centers for … Continue reading
Posted in Class and the Media, Contributors, Issues, Kathy M. Newman
Tagged class on television, Roseanne, The Conners, working-class sitcoms
1 Comment
Sorry to Bother You: A Spectacle That Teaches
If you haven’t seen Sorry to Bother You yet, please stop reading this and find somewhere in your town that is still playing the film. SEE IT NOW. If you have seen Sorry to Bother You, I hope you will … Continue reading
Class, Politics, and the Return of Roseanne
When ABC brought Roseanne back to life on March 27 it attracted more than 25 million viewers to its initial episode—and an additional 5-10 million caught the second airing or streamed it online. In today’s media ecosystem these numbers are … Continue reading