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Bridging the class divide

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Nicole Braun

Nicole Braun

About Nicole Braun

Nicole Braun has been teaching sociology for over two decades as an exploited adjunct. She raised her son by herself as a struggling single mom so she has had quite a lot of experience with classism. She cares deeply about social justice and looks forward to a day when there is true justice.

Got Netflix and a Coffee? Classist and Clueless New York Times Readers Chime In

June 30, 2020 by Nicole Braun 2 Comments

by Nicole Braun “How in the world can you have no savings? At one time in my life I made less than $20k a year and was still able to save 3 months of living expenses. True…the 4th month would’ve brought challenges but I was still able to save. People (especially the uneducated) live WAYYYY […]

Filed Under: Class in the Media, Clueless classism, Online Classism, Poverty

Thank You for Being on Time

July 11, 2018 by Nicole Braun 2 Comments

A few months ago, I made an appointment at the low-income clinic to see their therapist. I was hoping to find someone to listen to me – so I could hear my own voice better. The nurse practitioner suggested this as an option since I don’t make much money teaching part time. When I arrived, […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Class and health, Class prejudice, Classism, Classism in social services, Clueless classism, Health care access, Internalized classism Tagged With: classism, health care, stereotypes, working class

Malnourishment: A Case Study on U.S. Food Insecurity

February 15, 2018 by Nicole Braun 2 Comments

The final report of the 1996 World Food Summit states that food security “exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture agrees – at least in theory. […]

Filed Under: Building Economic Alternatives, Class prejudice, Classism, Classism in Everyday Life, Classism in Politics, Classism in social services, Classism in the Economy, Poverty, Systemic Classism Tagged With: blaming the victim, budget cuts, low-wage jobs, poverty, public services, stereotypes

“Homeless People Not Wanted Here”

January 9, 2018 by Nicole Braun 5 Comments

They are all addicts, criminals, on drugs, mentally ill, dangerous and have made bad choices, unlike us.  That was the general sentiment of the people who showed up to protest a new homeless shelter in the community where I live. They might as well have put a sign out that read, Poor People Keep Out. […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Class prejudice, Classism Tagged With: blaming the victim, classism, homeless, poverty, privilege, Rationalizing privilege, snobs

Homeless Shelters as Band-Aids: Housing Is a Human Right

December 7, 2017 by Nicole Braun Leave a Comment

From the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 25: (1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Affordable Housing, Building Economic Alternatives, Class prejudice, Classism, Classism in social services, Classism in the Economy Tagged With: classism, homeless, owning class, poverty, public services

Taken-for-Granted Social Class Privileges

January 19, 2015 by Nicole Braun 4 Comments

CLASS PRIVILEGE MEANS…  A list compiled by the students in my sociology course on inequality: I can pay to have dental work and therefore keep my teeth intact. If I speak out, I am assumed to be worthy of a voice, and people will respond to me in a prompt and respectful way. I can […]

Filed Under: Classism, Classism in Everyday Life Tagged With: class privilege

Doing the Math: Student Loan Debt and the Adjunct Equation

September 17, 2013 by Nicole Braun 5 Comments

One of my friends calls working in higher education a “Ponzi Scheme.” This is how it works: You put years of your life on a shelf in the name of higher education. You work hard, delay gratification and play the game to obtain the advanced degree.  Unless you have wealthy parents, you take out student […]

Filed Under: Class in Higher Education Tagged With: adjunct teaching, low-wage jobs, poverty

Roadblocks and Detours: Classism En Route to Drivers Ed

May 3, 2013 by Nicole Braun 9 Comments

I was shocked when a well-known environmentalist criticized my students’ campaign to make drivers education accessible to low-income students. The campaign ran into a lot of classism, but that was the low point. When I was in high school, drivers training was part of the public school curriculum.  Obtaining one’s drivers permit and license were […]

Filed Under: Classism in Everyday Life, Classism in K-12 Education, Classism in Progressive Movement Groups Tagged With: academia, classism, environmentalists, organizing

Thinking Positive Thoughts as the Ship Sinks: Oprah, Tolle & New Age Classism

April 9, 2013 by Nicole Braun 31 Comments

I’m concerned about classism in the new age, self help and spiritual movements. Oprah Winfrey’s show and “lifeclass,” which many people study religiously, promote individualistic “create your own reality” ideas, including the philosophy of guru Eckhart Tolle. “Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it,” Tolle writes. These ideas can be […]

Filed Under: Internalized classism, Pop Culture Classism, Spirituality and Ending Classism Tagged With: blaming the victim, individualism, New Age spirituality, poverty, unemployment

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