Will Barratt, Ph.D.
Indiana State University
In linguistics the concept of code-switching is a standard way to discuss how people switch between languages. This is a binary approach to being bilingual, first one language, and then the other. This idea of code switching has also been used to describe how individuals switch behaviors in different cultural contexts. When social class is thought of as culture, or rather a collection of subcultures arranged in a hierarchy of prestige, then code switching happens when an individual competent in two sets of cultural knowledge and skills switches between the two. Code switching implies a complete change, as in language, rather than a modification. Since social class subcultures are related then the switching is not so much a binary switch but an adjustment. Nevertheless, new rules, behaviors, knowledge, and skills apply in a different cultural setting.
Recently (cite) the concept of trans-language has been put forward to describe a conversation between two people who both have access to the same two languages – they don’t switch the code but use to two whole languages in the conversation, each complete with their own meaning and subtlety. This provides a more interesting and richer conversation that uses both languages.
As code switching was applied to cross cultural and cross social class culture / subculture communication, trans-language can be applied to culture as trans-cultural. As people develop multiple languages they get better skills at trans-language in conversation. As people develop competency in multiple cultures / subcultures / social class groups, they get better at the skill of trans-culture. They have access to more ways to communicate and inter-relate with others who share the multiple languages, or cultures, in which they are competent.
So what?
College is an interesting developmental time. Because of the number of diversities on campus many students have an opportunity to become trans-cultural, but not everyone takes advantage of that opportunity. Using social class identity as an example will illustrate my point. The first generation, low income, working class, poverty class, lower-middle class student comes to campus and is in constant daily contact with the majority social college students, who come from families where at least one parent has a college degree.
As a quick aside, roughly 25% of all first year students in college nationally are first generation, so 75% are not. Roughly 30% of US adults over 25 have a college degree. That means that around 75% of US college students come from around 30% of US families. The reality is that most college students are from the upper-middle to upper class in the US. There are campuses that are notable exceptions, having significantly more, typically state colleges with more open admissions requirements, or significantly fewer, typically highly selective campuses, first generation students.
Class consciousness is a way of life for students from the US underclass. Class consciousness begins with awareness, and underclass students are immediately aware of their status when they come to campus. Students from the underclass develop class competence in the majority upper-middle and upper class culture and sub-cultures. This multiple cultural competence allows them to build trans-cultural skills in order to work with and across social class boundaries.
Class unconsciousness is a way of life for students from the US majority class. They live in a social class bubble and much of the college experiences, staff, faculty, peers, and structures work to accommodate majority class students’ needs and to reinforce their social class norms. These majority class students do not build trans-cultural skills because they do not seek to gain competence in another culture.
In the work force who will be more valuable; the student with trans-social class culture skills or the student unable to work with people from different social class cultures?
We know from research that students from the underclass graduate at a lower rate than student from the overclass. Students from the underclass are at risk of graduation. Students from the overclass are at risk in the work force. Students from the overclass have economic, social, and cultural capital. Because of their place in the majority on campus overclass students don’t experience diversity the same way as underclass students, and consequently have fewer learning opportunities. This is the case for all majority and minority students.
Which is worse risk? For me educational attainment is the foundation of economic, social, and life success. But, how will we achieve an equitable world when members of the majority class are unaware of the inequities they perpetuate?
Indiana State University
In linguistics the concept of code-switching is a standard way to discuss how people switch between languages. This is a binary approach to being bilingual, first one language, and then the other. This idea of code switching has also been used to describe how individuals switch behaviors in different cultural contexts. When social class is thought of as culture, or rather a collection of subcultures arranged in a hierarchy of prestige, then code switching happens when an individual competent in two sets of cultural knowledge and skills switches between the two. Code switching implies a complete change, as in language, rather than a modification. Since social class subcultures are related then the switching is not so much a binary switch but an adjustment. Nevertheless, new rules, behaviors, knowledge, and skills apply in a different cultural setting.
Recently (cite) the concept of trans-language has been put forward to describe a conversation between two people who both have access to the same two languages – they don’t switch the code but use to two whole languages in the conversation, each complete with their own meaning and subtlety. This provides a more interesting and richer conversation that uses both languages.
As code switching was applied to cross cultural and cross social class culture / subculture communication, trans-language can be applied to culture as trans-cultural. As people develop multiple languages they get better skills at trans-language in conversation. As people develop competency in multiple cultures / subcultures / social class groups, they get better at the skill of trans-culture. They have access to more ways to communicate and inter-relate with others who share the multiple languages, or cultures, in which they are competent.
So what?
College is an interesting developmental time. Because of the number of diversities on campus many students have an opportunity to become trans-cultural, but not everyone takes advantage of that opportunity. Using social class identity as an example will illustrate my point. The first generation, low income, working class, poverty class, lower-middle class student comes to campus and is in constant daily contact with the majority social college students, who come from families where at least one parent has a college degree.
As a quick aside, roughly 25% of all first year students in college nationally are first generation, so 75% are not. Roughly 30% of US adults over 25 have a college degree. That means that around 75% of US college students come from around 30% of US families. The reality is that most college students are from the upper-middle to upper class in the US. There are campuses that are notable exceptions, having significantly more, typically state colleges with more open admissions requirements, or significantly fewer, typically highly selective campuses, first generation students.
Class consciousness is a way of life for students from the US underclass. Class consciousness begins with awareness, and underclass students are immediately aware of their status when they come to campus. Students from the underclass develop class competence in the majority upper-middle and upper class culture and sub-cultures. This multiple cultural competence allows them to build trans-cultural skills in order to work with and across social class boundaries.
Class unconsciousness is a way of life for students from the US majority class. They live in a social class bubble and much of the college experiences, staff, faculty, peers, and structures work to accommodate majority class students’ needs and to reinforce their social class norms. These majority class students do not build trans-cultural skills because they do not seek to gain competence in another culture.
In the work force who will be more valuable; the student with trans-social class culture skills or the student unable to work with people from different social class cultures?
We know from research that students from the underclass graduate at a lower rate than student from the overclass. Students from the underclass are at risk of graduation. Students from the overclass are at risk in the work force. Students from the overclass have economic, social, and cultural capital. Because of their place in the majority on campus overclass students don’t experience diversity the same way as underclass students, and consequently have fewer learning opportunities. This is the case for all majority and minority students.
Which is worse risk? For me educational attainment is the foundation of economic, social, and life success. But, how will we achieve an equitable world when members of the majority class are unaware of the inequities they perpetuate?
1 comment:
I think that it is a risk to be overclass in that you are not asked to develop the inter-class social skills. However, privilege is powerful, and the underclass folks, though skilled at moving between, are experiencing distress regularly around holding this expanded awareness of multiple sets of "codes" if you will. I feel, as a bilingual person, that my ability to speak Spanish and English and use the fullness of their expression is enriching and doesn't necesssarily stir class distress. When class enters the picture, their is a certain level of distress in 'passing' for example. There is distress in managing the insecurities of being a minority. There is distress in fearing that one's class will interrupt success. I like the reframing of being underclass as advantageous, because of course it can be. However, there is also something in this that seems to reoppress, if I may. It feels like it has the potential of making the struggle of underclass people to survive socially in a privilege-dominated setting such as work places and schools invisible. It seems to point towards 'we are all lucky to be the class we are'. As a working class/working poor person, I feel more present to the distress of this skill-set over time, and living, in a sense, not in authenticity to the cultural norms of my class, but consistently readjusting to what I am around. And that adjusting being seen as 'beneficial' is challenging. I feel that I have a lot more skills then some of my overclass friends, but I also have more distress. I would like to see some conversations on campuses and in workplaces where we acknowledge all of this invisible work done by underclass people, relieve them of it and learn how to follow different class codes in group settings.
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