Woodbury University Spring 2008

IS 3753 GLOBAL APPAREL
Instructors: E.B. Gendel, Joye Swan, Penny Collins
Schedule: Selected Tuesdays 3 – 4 PM (see below)
Location: SB 102

Course Description:

This course examines the apparel industry in southern California and Costa Rica, including a comparison of wages and working conditions, education and training, environmental issues, the role of multinational corporations, and the impact of trade agreements. The course also examines attitudes toward, and social perceptions of, factory labor in both locations. The course includes field trips to apparel factories and a three-week stay in Costa Rica beginning in mid-June, 2008. Team-taught, multidisciplinary (Economics, Fashion Design, and Psychology) 3 units, lecture, counts for upper division GE or upper division Psychology Elective for Psychology majors instructor’s permission required, prereqs: PS200 and AW112, and for FD students pre- or co-requisite FD 113/213.

Course Objectives: Students will be involved in the development of course objectives. In general, students will expand their understanding of social and ethical issues relating to labor practices and ethical issues and develop critical thinking skills to evaluate related information from a variety of sources.

Instructional Process:

This course is offered in a seminar format and active involvement by all participants is expected.

Classroom meeting time will be important for scheduling and planning the outside activities, field trips to apparel factories, and a three-week stay in Costa Rica that are the focus of the course. It will be important to maintain good communication throughout the semester to accommodate the course plans as they are finalized.

Meeting Schedule:

January 15 Introductions and travel information, passports,
                 and program fee.
                 Course goals: What do you know and what do you want
                                         to know?
February 12 Penny Collins: “Issues in Apparel Design and
                                           Manufacturing: Cheap Chic”
March 4  E.B. Gendel: “Wages and Working Conditions in the Apparel
                                   Industry”
April 1 Joye Swan: “Cross-cultural Attitudes and Norms Related
                               to Apparel Labor Practices”
April 8 ½ day off-campus field experience 12 - 4

Garment Worker Center
1250 S. Los Angeles St. #213
Los Angeles, CA 90015

American Apparel
747 Warehouse Street
Los Angeles, CA 90021

April 15 ½ day off-campus field experience 12 - 4
April 29 Review logistics, final itinerary and transportation
June 15 –  July 3    Travel in Costa Rica

Assignments:

Self-directed studies (2): Read an article related to apparel labor practices and write a 2-3 page response paper

Video documentaries (2): View videos (on reserve at library and respond to each in a 1-2 page paper -

Book review and analysis - click here for details

Notebook for structured journal

Final report