Scholars and academics from across the world recently attended the Working-Class Studies Association’s 2024 Conference held at SUNY Old Westbury. The two-day conference, themed “Class and Diversity,” included presentations and insights from two Old Westbury professors, Dr. Carol Quirke of the American Studies Department, and Dr. Peter Ikeler from Sociology.
Quirke presented her research of photojournalist Bettye Lane, late 20th century feminism and "breaking the glass ceiling." Ikeler was a plenary panelist for a discussion on Michael Zweig's book "Class, Race, and Gender: Challenging the Injuries and Divisions of Capitalism."
The Working-Class Studies Association, formed in 2003, is an international group dedicated to developing working-class studies as a field within higher education and public discourse. Various presentation sessions highlighted topics including “Speaking a different language? A phenomenological exploration of students' experiences in community-based dialogues about diversity, equity, and inclusion,” “Immigrant labor in the United States military,” and “Reconciling a Working-Class Past with an Academic Present.”
For more information about the Association, and its conference, please visit their website.