AbstractsSociology

Globalized Garment Systems: Theories on the Rana Plaza Disaster and Possible Localist Responses

by Elizabeth A Evans




Institution: Western Washington University
Department:
Year: 2016
Keywords: Clothing trade – Moral and ethical aspects – United States; Clothing trade – Accidents – Bangladesh – Case studies; Women textile workers – Bangladesh – Social conditions – Case studies; Consumer behavior – Social aspects – United States; Anti-sweatshop movement – Social aspects – United States; Social responsibility of business; Environmental Studies; Bangladesh; United States; Academic theses
Posted: 02/05/2017
Record ID: 2064342
Full text PDF: http://cedar.wwu.edu/wwuet/485


Abstract

Since 2005, more than 1,300 people in Bangladesh – the majority women – have died, while producing apparel for Western, especially United States, markets. Today, the US imports 97.5 percent of its apparel, mostly from developing countries such as Bangladesh. However, such import reliance was not always so. By examining past and present garment systems in the United States, my thesis seeks to address injustice in globalized garment systems, and suggest new directions for the future. The Rana Plaza factory collapse disaster thus is presented as a case study of injustice in globalized garment systems. In this thesis, I hypothesize that globalized garment systems stand to benefit from a critical examination using a lens of localism. Drawing from local foods research as an example of academic and cultural convergence towards improved justice, I identify critical themes from localism in foods, and apply them to globalized garment systems. Advisors/Committee Members: Berardi, Gigi M., Zaferatos, Nicholas C. (Nicholas Christos), Seltz, Jennifer.