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Overview
In the United States, social class ranks with gender, race, and ethnicity in determining the values, activities, political behavior, and life chances of individuals. Most scholars agree on the importance of class, although they often disagree on what it is and how it impacts Americans. This A-Z encyclopedia, the first to focus on class in the United States, surveys the breadth of class strata throughout our history, for high school students to the general public. Class is illuminated in 525 essay entries on significant people, terms, theories, programs, institutions, eras, ethnic groups, places, and much more.
This useful set is an authoritative, fascinating source for in-demand information on key aspects of our culture and society and helps researchers to narrow down a broad topic. Class is revealed from angles that often intersect: through history, with entries such as Founding Fathers, the Industrial Revolution, Westward Expansion; through economics, with entries such as Dot.com Bubble, Robber Barons, Chicago School of Economics, Lottery, Wage Slaves, Economic Equal Opportunity Act, Stock Market, Inheritance Taxes, Wal-Mart, Welfare; through social indicators such as Conspicuous Consumption, the Hamptons, WASP, Homelessness, Social Climbing; through politics with entries such as Anarchism, Braceros, Heritage Foundation, Communist Party, Kennedy Family; and through culture through entries such as Country Music, The Great Gatsby, Television, and Studs Terkel. Class is also approached from ethnic, sexual, religious, educational, and regional angles. Special features include an introduction, timeline, suggested reading per entry, cross-references, reader's guide to topics, and thorough index. Sample entries: Immigration, Education, Labor Movement, Pink-Collar Workers, AFL-CIO, Strikes, Great Depression, Jacob Riis, Literature, the Rockefellers, Slavery, Music, Academia, Family, Suburbia, McMansions, Taxation, Segregation, Racism, Ivy League, Robber Barons, Philanthropists, Socialites, Religion, Welfare, the American Dream, Dot.com Millionaires, Equal Opportunity, Founding Fathers, Wage Slaves, Industrial Revolution, Capitalism, Economics, Appalachia, Horse Racing, Gender, Communist Party, Country Clubs, Religion, American Indians, Conspicuous Consumption, Studs Terkel, Film, Class-Consciousness, Work Ethic, Media, Television, Puritans, Homelessness, Status Symbols, Assimilation/Melting Pot, Art, Westward Expansion, Poverty, The Great Gatsby, Stock Market, Working Poor, Gated Communities, the Hamptons, Social Climbing, Crime, Lottery, Elitism, WASP, American Dream, Noam Chomsky, Fortune Magazine
Editorials
Library Journal
In this reference set on the historical and contemporary impact of social class in America, editor Weir (Historical Encyclopedia of Labor) compiles 525 AtoZ essay entries that cover a number of related topics from a wide range of fields-including religion, education, economics, history, and culture-and underscores their impact on class in our country. Written by scholars from a variety of academic disciplines, the entries focus on relevant people, events, places, and issues in a broad context. For example, Monday night football may not seem like it has much to do with class in America, but the author of the entry on this sporting event has framed it in the context of its appeal to middleclass professionals and workingclass males, emphasizing how it has become a significant part of American popular culture. Other entries include, among many others, "family," "taxation," "Ivy League," "stock market," and "dot.com millionaires." Each entry highlights words or phrases that lead to other entries in the encyclopedia and concludes with a useful list of suggested readings for further research. This encyclopedia is not intended for academic researchers. As the editor notes in the preface, it is aimed at the general reading public, which would include students seeking background information to start a research paper on one of the topics. It would be a welcome addition to the reference section of a school media center, public library, or junior college.
—Diane Fulkerson
School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up -With entries written from a wide spectrum of economic, historical, cultural, and sociological viewpoints, Class provides an informal, nonacademic introduction to understanding and discussing this thorny issue. The 525 alphabetically arranged entries run the gamut from Hurricane Katrina, Noam Chomsky, and the Bush family to Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, the working class, and food banks, and successfully balance historical perspective with manifestations of class in contemporary America. Each entry begins with a clear definition and is followed by an overview of the topic, which typically acknowledges, but does not delve deeply into, any underlying debate. Entries feature cross-references in bold throughout, and each one closes with a list of suggested readings. This set serves as a jumping-off point rather than an exhaustive resource. The bibliographical essay in volume three provides a clear path to the next level of research. Infrequent black-and-white photographs, cartoons, and document reproductions enhance the text. Students will welcome such an easily digested introductory resource.-Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.