166841 Class, Race(ism) and Health: A Step toward Reintegration

Monday, November 5, 2007: 2:30 PM

Martha Livingston, PhD , Associate Professor of Health and Society, Old Westbury, NY
It's not simply that we have to get past the concept of �disparities;' it's also that we need to understand what we mean by �class,' what we mean by �race(ism).'

The debate has for too long centered on �it's really all about class' or �it's really all about race,' as though those who see class as central are ignoring racism, and those who focus on racism fail to understand class.

Besides creating a truly unfortunate split among otherwise intelligent, committed change agents, this false dichotomy fails to recognize that these phenomena work through each other, not merely �interacting;' they're not two separate concepts at all.

The paper will examine the history of class formation in the United States and touch on health outcomes.

Learning Objectives:
Particpants will understand what we mean by �class,� what we mean by �race(ism). Participants will understand that the false dichotomy of class or race fails to recognize that these phenomena work through each other, not merely �interacting;� and they�re not two separate concepts at all.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Beyond Disparities
See more of: Socialist Caucus