Faculty & Staff Directory

Helena Worthen

Clinical Associate Professor Emeritus, School of Labor & Employment Relations Labor Education Program
Visiting Scholar, UC Berkeley 2011-2012

In Brief

• Ph.D. in Literacy and Policy, Organization and Management, University of California Berkeley, 1997
• Master of Arts in Education, University of California Berkeley, 1993
• Master of Landscape Architecture, University of California Berkeley, 1975
• Master of Arts in English, Stanford University, 1974, Stegner Fellow, 1966-67
• Bachelor of Arts in English, Harvard University, 1965
• Formerly Adjunct Professor of English, Humanities, and/or Creative Writing at the University of San Francisco, Dominican College, Sonoma State University, and teh Peralta Community College District
• Vice President, UALE (United Association for Labor Education
• Organizer, 2011 Regina V. Polk Women's Labor Leadership Conference

On Labor Education

The loss of millions of union jobs and union members has not reduced the need for labor education, which is now even more urgently needed by workers facing difficult working conditions without the protection of labor organizations.

Research Interests

The social relationships of work are shaped by laws, regulations and policies that are nation and state-specific. In the US, the dominant discourses around workplace learning come from economic development, skills training and adult literacy.  My current research bridges these and, taking a Vygotskian, sociocultural perspective, accounts for the funds of knowledge created by workers who, despite finding themselves in coercive or dangerous situations, manage to make a decent living and improve and survive their jobs. 

I draw on my experiences with students of the University of Illinois labor education program, both union and non-union, and especially from the women who have attended the Regina V. Polk conference.  

Courses Taught

• Collective bargaining, steward and leadership training
• Workplace safety, bullying
• Women’s leadership, women’s issues
• Worker’s writing and communication
• Organizing, strategy, capacity-building

Other

Curriculum Vitae

To reach Ms. Worthen:

Hworthen@illinois.edu
510-527-5889
21 San Mateo Road
Berkeley, CA 94707