Dr. Jenny Carson

Biography

Jenny Carson studies 20th-century American women’s labour history, focusing on history service work and women’s organizing in the United States. Her published book, 'Matter of Moral Justice: Black Women Laundry Workers Fight for Justice', examines African American radical women’s organizing in the laundry industry during the 20th century. Her work has appeared in numerous American and Canadian journals, including 'Labor: Studies in Working Class History of the Americas', 'Labour: Canadian Journal of Work and Society', and 'Labor Studies Journal'. In 2010, her article entitled 'Taking Corporate Bullies: Cintas, Laundry Workers, Organizing from the 1930s to the 21st Century' won the 'Article of the Year' prize from the 'Labor Studies Journal'. Carson has also participated in a five-year SSHRC-funded project on poverty and employment precarity in Southern Ontario, which investigated how low-waged workers and their allies responded to the growth of precarious employment in the 21st century. In recognition of her excellence in teaching, she received the Dean’s Teaching Award in 2010 and is a member of the graduate faculty.

Research Interests