RADICAL PEDAGOGY
Labelling Theory

T. R. Young
The Red Feather Institute

			LABELLING THEORY

A Great many stores in Burlington carry clothing made in a country in which children work under
conditions not far removed from slavery.   10, 12 and 14 year old children work long hours for wages
beginning at $2/day and going up to $4 or $5 a day.  Often wages are paid directly to the father.

That clothing, produced in low-wage societies with few if any labor laws, consumer protections laws,
environmental protection laws or taxation of surplus profits, is then shipped to high-wage countries
such as the USA to be sold at super-profits.

Such division of production and distribution is very, very good for owners but not at all good for
workers in the periphery nor, in the long run, good for workers in the wealthy country even though
they save money in the short run.  In the long run, they are displaced by workers who are 'super-
exploited.

The better solution is to use the power of the US Government to force third-world countries to provide
the same protections and safe-guards to workers, communities and environment as found in the USA.
Thus, there would be fair competition between countries and some of the vast wealth created by
remarkable improvements in technology, communication and transport would be shared by all the
citizens of a country rather than just those few who own the factories and ship the wealth out of that
country.

Your assignment, if you choose to take it, is to place 20 WARNING LABELS on clothing from the
following countries.  [Here the Supervisor of the Field Assignment selects the countries from a
up to date list provided by the Professor].  

Up to 10 'Field Agents' may take this assignment.  It costs 10 generic points.  It has a profit margin of
up to 20 percent...i.e., the student may earn 22 Quality Points  by following the directions below.

Jake Filan is Producer/Director of this RadPed Field Assignment.  Jake is member of the Students
for a Democratic Society and has a movie which we will, before you go, use as a Movie Lab.

SIGN UP on the Sheet provided by Jake.

INSTRUCTIONS:  Assemble in front of the Sociology House at 9 a.m Saturday Morning.

Drive to the Mall.  Jake will pass out 10 labels to each Field Agent.  

Field Agents in groups of two will select a store in which clothing is sold.  

Exam the labels to see if an item of clothing was made in a country listed as exploiting Child Labor.

If so, place one of the warning labels provided by T.R. on five of those items.  Do not create any
unnecessary disturbance.  Do your job quickly and quietly.

Find another three items and repeat the process until your 20 labels are applied.

Depart the store quietly.

Repeat the Process in a Second Mall in the Area.

Return to the University; sign out with Jake who will then give me a list of all the Field Agents
who completed the Assignment...along with the point total earned by each.  It is assumed that
every student will earn maximum credit.

TR will then record up to 22 points to your account.

WARNING:  Some store managers would have you arrested under a variety of laws designed to
protect capitalist production and distribution.  

You could be charged with behavior labelled as criminal:

	vandalism

	disturbing the peace

	breaking and entering

	loitering

	littering

You would not be charged with activity labelled as Pro-social:

	Warning customers about exploitation of child labor

	Protecting American Consumers

	Acting on a higher morality than mere profit-taking

	Protecting Children in foreign countries

	Truth in Vending

...Or any one of a dozen other better ways to label your activity.

So...do have fun, take care.  Jake has a letter from me should any manager or
any police officer interfere with your assignment. 

If there is the slightest trouble, call me at my office; I will be there until you return 
from the secret assignment. 
					TR Young, Visiting Professor