Strangers in Paradise: Academics from the Working Class - Softcover

Ryan, Jake

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0761801421 ISBN 13: 9780761801429

Publisher: University Press Of America, 1995

Synopsis

In this second edition, twenty-four college professors, with roots in the working class, discuss the experience of significant upward mobility and the problems of adjustment to life in the academy. This collection of stories provides revelations about the social class system and academic life in the United States. Each of the autobiographies is prefaced with thoughtful discussions of how certain historical forces have affected the experiences of working class academics and how the United States' social class system is tied to higher education. The book connects these twenty-four personal experiences with three themes. First is the dual estrangement theme, whereby the upwardly mobile person lives in two very different worlds. The second theme explores internalized class conflict, where in many cases the different worlds are in serious conflict with each other. Finally the impostor phenomenon theme describes the event of an upwardly mobile person surviving the new environment by becoming someone else all the time.
Strangers in Paradise will provide excellent text for courses and seminars in sociology, economics, and education. In addition, almost any person in the academy with working class roots will find some personal interest in this probing and relevant analysis.

About this title

Review

The 24 contributions by university academics from humble origins remain the meat of the book and represent a series of thoroughly readable autobiographical studies.--CHOICE

Synopsis

This work presents the experiences of 24 college professors with roots in the working class. It examines the social class system and academic life in the United States, revealing how America's social class system is tied to higher education.

Edition details

• Publisher: University Press Of America
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0761801421
• ISBN 13: 9780761801429
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 328