There exists a significant body of sociological research that elucidates the manifold ways in which higher education, for working-class and other non-traditional students represents an alien, unfamiliar and ‘risky’ field socio-culturally, academically or otherwise (Reay et al 2009; 2010; Lenhmann 2014). Class, as core conceptual tool and subject of sociological enquiry continues to be taught within the discipline in ways that can be conceptualized as being overwhelmingly ‘top down’. All too often students grapple with sociological accounts of social class through the gaze of the privileged academic within the ivory tower looking out. Sociological texts pertaining to social class are overwhelmingly lengthy, linguistically convoluted, inaccessible and at times alienating. Often said texts are written by key thinkers within the sociological cannon, a cannon that overwhelmingly comprises of what Burton (2015) refers to ‘white boy theory’.

This project in which this paper reflects upon, unapologetically and explicitly sought to not only a) design a module that, to borrow and amend a phrase from Becker (1967) ‘sides with the social class underdog’, that of the working-class; but b) designed a module co-created in collaboration with working-class students studying at Sussex. The paper thus reflections on the pedagogical process and value of doing so. From the outset, this project was and is concerned with disrupting the teaching-research dichotomy that pervades sociology (Kain 2006). It borrows from pedagogies of ‘discomfort’ (Boler, 1999; Boler and Zembylas, 2003) and ‘hope’ (Freire, 1994; hooks 2003) in order to explore the experience of embedding student voice into the sociological teaching and learning of social class and class inequalities within a sociology module. It considers the pedagogical value of the subjective experience of students in teaching issues of social class and class inequality. It views students not as passive consumers of higher education but positions them as active agents; as co-creators and producers of knowledge and learning within higher education. Through the Sussex Student Connector Project Program, a project supported for the office of students a second-year sociology module ‘Class, Culture and Conflict: A View from Within’ sought to embed the voices and creative ideas of non-traditional working-class students into the modules content, design, delivery and assessment.

This paper details and reflects upon the experience of doing so, reflecting on the pedagogical philosophy of the author and her experience of designing a social-class inequalities module in co-collaboration with working-class, first-generation sociology students at the University of Sussex. The new module, entitled “Class, Culture & Conflict: A View from The Inside” foregrounds the voice of working-class persons and engages with non-academic sources (lyrics, documentaries, biographies, materials from working-class activists, entertainers, and comedians) extending beyond the ivory tower in order to avoid the avoid the voyeurism and fetishization that is commonplace in scholarship on social class. Here the modules origin, impetus, development and course content is considered and the pedagogical value of the pedagogical value of collaborating with working-class students when designing sociological curriculum pertaining to social class within the context of UK higher education. This paper explores the pedagogical value of a working-class background upon the teaching of sociology and the possibilities afforded for pedagogical innovation. It concludes that working-class teachers in higher education should not only be supported but encouraged (so long as they feel comfortable) to draw upon their working-class backgrounds when designing and delivering course materials, and that they require the active support of teaching communities and institutional frameworks to do so.

Focusing upon the case of UK higher education and specifically the discipline of sociology this paper draws upon an autoethnographic account of the author (as a working-class, cis female, white, first-generation early career researcher and lecturer) and a case study of a collaborative sociology curriculum design project (between staff and students of a working-class background) and a document analysis of reflections from participating students in the project to inform its analysis and claims.

This article sheds light on and contributes to understandings of working-class experiences of engaging in a curriculum collaboration and the pedagogical value of collaborating with working-class students when designing sociological curriculum pertaining to social class within the context of UK higher education. The article attests to the value of drawing upon one’s working-class background to guide and direct our teaching, it’s focus and content sharing 'best practice' suggestions and guidance. It concludes that working-class teachers in higher education should not only be supported but encouraged (so long as they feel comfortable) to draw upon their working-class backgrounds when designing and delivering course materials, and that they require the active support of teaching communities and institutional frameworks to do so.

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