Talking with Authors: Amelia Pang, Made in China: A Prisoner, an SOS Letter, and the Hidden Cost of America’s Cheap Goods
23:46
Grades: 9 - 12

Video Description: In 2012, an Oregon mother opened a five dollar package of Halloween decorations and an SOS letter, handwritten in broken English, fell out. The letter was written by a mild-mannered Chinese engineer turned political prisoner, forced into grueling labor for a petty offense. He was imprisoned alongside criminals, civil rights activists, and tens of thousands of others the Chinese government had decided to “reeducate.” In Made in China, investigative journalist Amelia Pang reveals a closely guarded network of forced labor camps that power the rapid pace of American consumerism. Pang shows us the true cost of America’s cheap goods and shares what is ultimately a call to action—urging us to ask more questions and demand more answers from the companies we patronize.

Type of Video: Interview*
Unique Video ID: Economics-32**

Quick Ideas for Using the Video:

  • Provide the video to students who are engaging in an independent project related to China and its economic impact on American goods.
  • Use the video in a flipped learning activity and have students come to class prepared to share two insights gained by watching the video and one topic they would like to research more.

 

*Interviews feature extended conversation exploring fascinating topics with fascinating people in the area of study.

**The unique Video ID can be used to quickly locate a single video in the ET collection. This search function is designed to let teachers assign students to watch a specific video and have only that video appear as a search result. Just click on Search and choose “By Video ID.” Then type in the Video ID as it appears above. Be sure to include the dash.

Loading