The document discusses several topics related to globalization and culture, including the concept of "Yellow Peril" and how it connects to a chapter in Fast Boat to China. It also examines supply chains and value chains in production. Ross depicts walk-outs in Chinese workplaces and explains the common cultural explanation versus his own explanation. Social reproduction through mass consumption is discussed as a solution to overproduction crises in capitalism. Different types of workers like Foxconn factory workers and Apple store workers are compared. Finally, key concepts from Marxist political economy that are seen in related articles are listed.

1. Globalization and Culture
Labor and Consumption II
Week 6
February 23, 2016

2. Yellow Peril
What does this term describe?
How does the concept connect to the Ross
chapter from Fast Boat to China?

3. Beneath the Peril
What does Ross argue the "fear of a Chinese
threat" actually hides or obscures?

4. Supply Chains and Value Chains
Supply chain: how goods move from production
to consumers
Value chain: where value gets "added" along
the way
research & development > design
production > marketing > distribution
> customer service

5. Culture and Labor?
Ross depicts massive walk-outs in Chinese
workplaces.
What is the common cultural explanation?
How does Ross explain it?

6. Social Reproduction &
Mass Consumption
In a capitalist context, social reproduction
occurs through consumption of commodities;
this consumption invests some of the worker’s
share of surplus value back into capitalism.
Mass consumption develops as a solution to
crises of over-production.

7. Social Reproduction &
Mass Consumption

8. Service Economy: Apple Store

9. Production & Service
What do Foxconn factory workers, “gold
farmers,” and Apple store workers have in
common? What about the Thai clinic workers
from Week 5?

10. Marxist Analysis?
What concepts from
Marxist political
economy do we see
in these articles?

11. Marxist Analysis?
● surplus value
● means of production
● social reproduction
● reserve army of labor
● mass consumption
● strategies for increasing extraction of
surplus value