AustLit

'Stories of not belonging in a classless society.

'Class intersects with almost every aspect of our lives, from where we go to school, to what we wear and eat, to how we speak, and how we make a living. Yet we almost never talk about it, and when we do, it’s often to make claims about how much Australia loves its ‘battlers’ and blue-collar underdogs. But what’s it really like to be economically disadvantaged in this country? To be denied a place in a rapidly expanding ‘middle class’ as the gulf between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’ widens? And is it possible to cross class lines in a country that barely acknowledges those lines exist?

'In Cop This Lot, diverse voices of all ages — from the well-known to the recently discovered — deliver their stories and experiences with verve, courage, and humour. Collectively, these essays challenge Australia’s myths and truths about its national character and delve deeply into the nation’s complex relationship with social class.

'With contributions from: Roger Averill, Timmah Ball, Shannon Burns, Andy Butler, Luke Carman, Felicity Castagna, Zoe Douglas-Kinghorn, Chris Fleming, Nayuka Gorrie, Rick Morton, Amra Pajalic, Sheila Ngoc Pham, Peter Polites, Alice Pung, and David Sornig.' (Publication summary)