ABSTRACT
The study of social class is complicated, particularly in the United States where the American Dream reigns supreme and social class is often masked. However, focus on the working class has become more prevalent in the past two decades through the emergence of the field of working-class studies. As such, it is important to consider the pedagogical approaches to social class and how working-class culture can become a more integrated part of the academic narrative. This chapter will explore pedagogical strategies for teaching working-class culture and experience through literature, popular culture, and history and interrogate many of the complexities of this endeavor. Janet Zandy suggests, ‘let us imagine what it would be like if the history and culture of working-class people were at the center of educational practices’. If the working class were at the center rather than on the margins, the academy would be a more accepting, diverse, and richer place. Providing students the opportunity to study working-class culture allows them to understand that there is more than one version of American literature and history, and they will subsequently develop both a greater understanding of and appreciation for the diversity of American experience.
