Overview
ASSIGNMENT:
- read Lesson 3: Pellow - The State and Policy: Imperialism, Exclusion, and Ecological Violence as State Policy
- read Lesson 4: Allan Schnaiberg and Kenneth A. Gould - Labor Productivity and the Environment
Purpose:
This discussion is designed to unravel the environmental and human costs entangled in the "fast fashion" industry. Drawing on the insights from this week's readings and the documentary "The True Cost," you'll get a chance to explore how state actions and corporate strategies may contribute to environmental degradation and labor exploitation in the global fashion industry.
Instructions
Preparation: Watch the powerful documentary "The True Cost" and make sure you have read Lesson 3 and Lesson 4. As you watch, focus on key themes discussed in lesson 3 (e.g. state policies that encourage or fail to discourage environmental harm, US imperialism, environmental racism) and/or those in lesson 4 (focus on economic growth that makes everyone including the workers complicit in the system, economic inequality and environmental Injustice, intensification of factory farming, economic policies and market interventions etc. ) to better understand how fast fashion operates and the harm it does. Consider taking notes while watching so you can refer specific examples/arguments from the documentary.
Initial Post (shoot for a min of 200-250 words): Discuss the ways state policies and corporate practices in the fashion industry lead to its environmental and human costs. Consider one of the following issues for your post:
- Analyze State Policies and their Effects: How government actions either enable or counter corporate practices in the fashion industry that result in environmental damage and labor exploitation (both in developed and developed countries.)
- Apply Concepts and Theories: Use perspectives discussed in lessons 3 and 4 to support your points (e.g. ToP, risk society, environmental justice scholarship etc.)
- Consumerism and Market Dynamics: Analyze how consumer choice and demand shapes the decisions made by states and corporations in the fashion industry. Discuss the interplay between consumerism, market forces, and the resulting environmental and social impacts.