Sociology 2111: Worksheet--"China Blue" 2006

This video tries to look inside the forces behind what it calls the largest migration in history, the movement of 125 million rural Chinese to Chinese cities looking for factory work. Our lens on the process is the Lefeng factory, with a focus on a new worker named Jasmine and the factory owner, Mr. Lam, a former police chief.

1. Bring to class Thursday a list of the countries in which the clothes you are wearing today (or tomorow or the next, if you forget today) are made.

2. Describe the background, current concerns, and working conditions for Jasmine.

3. Describe the background, current concerns, and opportunities for Mr. Lam.

5. What happens when western companies buying from Mr. Lam's factory send representatives to check on the working conditions and perhaps more importantly, the product quality, of the Lefeng factory.

6. When Mr. Lam goes to Hong Kong to meet with a disgruntled customer, what is the problem and how does Mr. Lam propose to solve it? How are the workers in the Lefeng factory affected?

7. What is the result for Jasmine?

Sociology 2111: Groups--"China Blue"

1. At one point, Mr. Lam asks the workers to try to see things from his point of view. What would you do differently, if anything, if you were in Mr. Lam's position, and why?

2. What if you were Jasmine? What would you do?

3. There is some talk about unions and organizing. What are the chances for organizing the workers in this factory, and what are the factors that would make it so difficult?

4. Should transnational corporations that buy their goods from places like the Lifeng factory be boycotted by American consumers? Why or why not?

5. The video tries to round out our portrait of Jasmine and Mr. Lam by talking about the interest each has in a particular art, Jasmine in writing and Mr. Lam in calligraphy. Why do you think the film-maker included this information?

6. What do you suppose would be happening to Mr. Lam and Jasmine (or more generally, to factory owners and workers in China) as a result of the drastic collapse of economies around the world that we are now experiencing?