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S p e c i a l Is s u e o n W o r k i n g - C l a s s L i t e r a t u r e o f t h e W e s t : In t r o d u c t i o n R e n n y C h r i s t o p h e r S p e c i a l Is s u e E d i t o r W h e n M e lo d y G r a u lic h a p p r o a c h e d m e w it h t h e id e a o f a sp e c ia l issu e o f W e st e r n A m e r i c a n L i t e r a t u r e ( W A L ) o n w o r k in g - c la ss lit e r a t u r e o f t h e W e st , I t h o u g h t it w as a v e r y im p o r t a n t a n d t im e ly id e a . A d isc u ssio n o f c la ss h a s e n t e r e d lit e r ar y st u d ie s r e ce n t ly . P M L A h a d a sp e c ia l issu e o n c la ss in 2 0 0 0 , C o l l e g e L i t e r a t u r e h a d a sp e c ia l issu e o n w o r k in g - c la ss lit ­ e r a t u r e in 2 0 0 2 , a n d C o l le g e E n g lis h h a d a n issu e o n c la ss in sp r in g 2 0 0 5 . I t h o u g h t , w h a t a g r e a t o p p o r t u n it y t o e x p lo r e w o r k in g - c la ss w r it e r s o f t h e W e st , a n d n o w ’s t h e t im e fo r it. T h e c a ll fo r p a p e r s I w r o t e su m s u p w h a t w a s o n m y m in d : F r o m t h e I W W t o t h e U F W , fr o m t h e Se a t t le G e n e r a l St r ik e t o t h e L u d lo w M a ssa c r e , fr o m t h e C h in e se R a ilr o a d b u ild e r s t o L A sw e a t sh o p w o r k e r s, t h e W e st h a s b e e n a sc e n e o f w o r k in g- c la ss h ist o r y ; fr o m A g n e s Sm e d le y t o T o m á s R iv e r a , fr o m M a x in e H o n g K in g st o n t o Ja c k L o n d o n , it h a s b e e n a p r o d u c e r o f w o r k in g- c la ss w...

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