The Center for Study of Working Class Life was founded in 1999 and has been undergoing a transition. It was dedicated to exploring the meaning of class in today’s world. Looking at society through the lens of class clarifies many important social questions in new ways – why the rich get richer while the poor get poorer, what attacks on government programs through privatization mean, why the suburbs aren’t really a middle class haven, how the "family values" debate impacts our lives, and much more. This collection represents the 2008 Conference, "How Class Works." Visit the Center for the Study of Inequalities, Social Justice, and Policy website for additional information on the research activities or about the updated program, including its revised name. This info was updated in 2022