ethical issue: social american factory justice

RaceandCultureinAmericanFactory:ACaseStudyEmilyA.Callam

Advisor:Dr.ChadPainter

AbstractThiscasestudyfocusesonthe2019documentary AmericanFactory andexaminestheissuesofraceandculturethroughtheethicallensofsocialjustice.ThedocumentarydirectedbyJuliaReichertandStevenBognar introducesviewerstothetransitionofalargefactoryinDayton,Ohio,fromGeneralMotorsCompanytoFuyaoGlassAmerica,aChinesecompany.

SummaryThefilmattemptstocaptureanall-encompassingviewofthistransitionasitdepictstheeffectsithasoneveryonefromtheCEOofthecompanytobothAmericanandChineseworkersonthefactoryfloor.LifestylesandworkplaceculturesclashastheproductivitylevelsofthoseintheUnitedStatesdoesnotnearlyreachthatofChina.

American Transition• Lowerwages,noabilitytounionize,

unstableemployment• Mostwhoheldmanagementpositions

were quicklyreplaced.• Adaptingtoforeignleadership.

Chinese Transition• Learnandadapttoanewcultureand

language.• Mostifnotallawayfromtheirfamilies.

Ethical Issue: Social Justice RaceandEthnicity

•Twoculturesemerge;AmericanandChinese.WithintheAmericanculturearemanysubculturesthatrepresentdifferentraces;white,black,Hispanic,Asian.Didthesesubculturesfacedifferentchallengesandobstacles?

Class•Thereisnotmuchcontextforclass.ManyChineseworkerslivedtogether,withouttheirfamilies.WhatdoesthelifeofaChineseworkerinamanagerialrolelooklike?

Gender•HowdogenderrolesinChinatranslateintheAmericancontext?WerethejobsofAmericanwomenworkinginthefactoryaffectedbythechangeinmanagement?

Geography•Wouldthenarrativebedifferentifthefactorywereinadifferentpartofthecountryorclosertoamajorcity?

Generation•Americansweretypicallyintheir40s-60s.Chineseworkersweretypicallyyoungerintheirmid-20sormid-30s.Whatdoesthismean?