Topic Proposal- Andrew Agcaoili

For my research hypertext, I am going to look into the world of the family labor unit. Many migrant families in the U.S. must make all of the family work to get the basic needs of sustenance. To be more specific, I will mainly focus on the use of child labor in farming operations in light of the recent blueberry picker scandal. My research hypertext will include sections about troubles with the border patrol, or “La Migra”, the need to not only support their family, but also the family they have in their original country, and the constant struggle with finding a way out of poverty.
To help convey my point, I plan to use the techniques and concepts used in the class reading. For example, in Shipler’s book, he talks about the American dream. My site will use his concept of the invisible America. I will show how migrant family labor units are, “the forgotten story of prosperity in America” (Shipler 51). As shown by scandal, the recent blue berry scandal, the USA’s economy is dependent on migrant workers, yet they continue to live in poverty.
Another concept I plan to use in the research hypertext, is the discussion the stress work and lack of work brings to the family unit. For example, in Ehrenreich’s book, she constantly discusses the stresses of being poor, but also brings up the family issues being poor causes. In one chapter, her colleague breaks her ankle and thus cannot work (Ehrenreich 110). The stress of not being able to work and support her family will cause many problems, both financially and mentally. And finally, the concept I plan to use from Schlosser is the concept of employers using the workers until there is nothing left. In migrant farm working, laborers are used to the point where I had no body parts left to give…then they just tossed me into the trash can” (Schlosser 192). Child labor is exploitative and thus used very often. My site will discuss these concepts and hopefully bring light to the problems within the working family unit.