Moving Beyond Generational Stereotypes in Adult Labor Education

• In Event: 20461 - Teaching and Learning Symposium Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table 12: Teaching Matters

Abstract

The idea that we can stereotype people based on their age has dominated popular culture – and adult labor education programs focused on intergenerational solidarity – since William Strauss and Neil Howe’s book, Generations, was published in the early 1990s. Their work popularized generational labels like Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, etc. However, these generational labels obscure social class differences in how people experience major social, economic, political, and environmental events. They also create division among people assumed to be part of each group (e.g., “OK Boomer” memes, “lazy Millennials,” etc.). In my experience as a labor educator, I have observed that these divisions are also a present and significant challenge for workers and their organizations. As the labor movement is experiencing a transition in leadership because of retirements (like many other industries), intergenerational knowledge transfer is as important as ever. Key to that knowledge transfer is building intergenerational solidarity.

I propose that moving away from the Strauss-Howe generational labels and toward an analysis based on social class and shared interests opens up more authentic ways of building intergenerational solidarity among adult learners. In this interactive workshop, I will present an outline of and facilitate interactive exercises from a one-day labor education workshop titled Building Intergenerational Solidarity. This workshop uses popular education and universal design principles. The learning objectives for the workshop are:
• Examine stereotypes and myths about generations
• Explore the challenges and opportunities associated with multi-generational unions
• Develop strategies for building solidarity between workers of all ages by focusing on shared interests

I will discuss the history and critique of the Strauss-Howe generational theory as well as outcomes from piloting this workshop with workers in Pennsylvania and suggestions for how we can build solidarity and community in multigenerational classrooms.

Author

• Kathleen Ragon, Pennsylvania State University