the encouragement lounge: Book recommendation

Monday, August 17, 2009

Book recommendation

"Limbo: Blue Collar Roots, White Collar Dreams" by Alfred Lubrano explores the intersection of class and education. Specifically, Lubrano considers the experience of first-generation college students. The central point is that those of us who grow up in working class families and then earn a degree (or two or three!) end up straddling two worlds. Our education, in some ways, separates us from our working class roots, and yet we may never be completely at home in the white collar world. Sure we can "go home again" and we succeed professionally, but there is some element of not feeling completely at home in either place.

Lubrano combines his personal narrative with interviews and research in this highly-readable book. I read this book many years after my college years and much of it resonated, I found it informative and affirming.

Ok. Happy Monday! Onward!

Harriet

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Working adult students, on my mind...

I hope this blog will be helpful to friends and others involved in a variety of endeavors. However, I created the blog with students in mind and continue to develop it with that specific group as my focus.

I believe that with the increase in evening, weekend, and low-residency programs, students are working more and more in isolation. If we were all full-time students on campus, we would have the informal support that comes with being able to go down the hall and talk with a colleague, etc. But instead, we are working late nights and weekends at home in front of the laptop.

With that in mind, I hope the encouragement lounge provides brief moments of respite and energizing connection. This does not at all replace valuable face-to-face contact. Many aspects of the academic journey can only be addressed via in-depth conversations with colleagues and teachers. And I would always rather sit down and talk with someone than to communicate online. Nonetheless, my aim is to give you one more channel for quick hits of support.