Wednesday’s lecture will be on the American Dream. To tie in with the work you are doing on Nickel and Dimed, in the seminars we will look at the American corporation Wal-Mart and its relationship to the contemporary version of the American Dream.
TASKS
1) For the seminar please read the dialogue “Is Wal-Mart good for the American Working Class?” between Barbara Ehrenreich (no) and Jason Furman (yes)
http://www.slate.com/id/2144517/entry/2144521/
You have Ehrenreich views on Wal-Mart already – you can easily find more on-line, for instance. http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070827/ehrenreich To read more of Furman’s views go here: http://www.americanprogress.org/kf/walmart_progressive.pdf
2) Please Google the terms “American Dream” + “Wal-Mart” and explore – DO NOT JUST VISIT THE FIRST PAGE OF RESULTS. Everyone must select, print, and bring to the seminar something they have researched and be prepared to evaluate it (not describe, evaluate) – NO EXCEPTIONS. It will be easier to find critical pieces than friendly pieces (why?), so look hard to find interesting materials.
Two examples to give you an idea of what I mean in terms of length and depth:
In Wal Mart’s America
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0827-06.htm
Wal Mart Anti American juggernaut
http://www.theminaretonline.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticlePrinterFriendly&uStory_id=8bec5d02-8954-469d-8496-dfcbe40e618d
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