Honors College focuses on Global Supply Chain
The University of Central Arkansas Norbert O. Schedler Honors College will host Challenge Week from Oct. 19-27. The theme is “Breaking the Chains: A Critical Examination of the Global Supply Chain.”
Challenge Week is an annual event hosted by UCA’s Honors College that brings a wide range of regional, national and international thinkers to campus to discuss a specific issue or problem that impacts society. Speakers present information and arguments that challenge audiences to see an issue or problem from a new perspective and take action to move toward thoughtful change.
“We are interested in starting a conversation about the human and environmental implications of our global economy. What is the relationship between the consumer goods we interact with on a daily basis—such as the coffee in our mugs or the iPhone in our pockets—and the well-being of people and places around the world?” said Ellen Hostetter, associate professor, Honors College.
The keynote speaker is Kevin Bales, professor of Contemporary Slavery at the University of Nottingham. His address is Wednesday, Oct. 24 from 7-8 p.m. at Ida Waldran Auditorium. A book signing and reception will follow.
Bales has roots in Ponca City, Oklahoma, but has traveled the world putting a human face on global supply chains. His research reveals the number of points in a variety of supply chains rely on modern-day forms of slavery and human trafficking, as well as how many points in these chains are environmentally destructive. He has presented his research to the United Nations and to government officials in the United States, Britain, Ireland, Norway and Nepal.
His publications include Blood and Earth: Modern Slavery, Ecocide, and the Secret to Saving the World and Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy.
The Honors College has worked with the Department of Geography and other university partners to plan Challenge Week.
Other activities include the following:
An Introduction to Global Supply Chains
Friday, Oct. 19, 3-5 p.m., Burdick Hall, Room 205
Challenge Week begins with an introduction to how global supply chains work. Zachary Smith, assistant professor of history and coordinator for the UCA Asian Studies Program will explore the life cycle of an iPhone. In so doing, Smith will challenge traditional thinking about “Made in China” and assumptions made about the process.
Global Supply Chains, Historic and Moral Perspectives
Monday, Oct. 22, 4-6 p.m., Doyne Health Science Center Auditorium
Eric Bowne, assistant professor in anthropology, and Sharon Mason, assistant professor in philosophy and religion, will offer historical and ethical perspectives on the global economy.
Visitors can view posters based on the Challenge Week theme that were produced by students in Honors Scholar first-year seminars and students in “Theories of Knowledge” junior seminar. Posters will be outside the auditorium from 4-4:30 p.m.
The Human Face of Global Supply Chains
Tuesday, Oct. 23, 6-8:30 p.m., College of Business Auditorium
Attendees can enjoy a pizza dinner at 6 p.m. as a prelude to the public screening of Not My Life, a 2012 hour-long documentary directed by Robert Bilheimer and narrated by Glenn Close. This film focuses attention on children as a face of modern-day slavery and human trafficking.
After the screening, three UCA faculty members—Dr. Rifat Akhter, associate professor of sociology; Taine Duncan, associate professor of philosophy and religion and director of UCA’s Gender Studies Program; and S. Lynne Rich, associate professor of sociology—will be on hand to help lead discussions on the issues raised in the documentary.
Food Production and Processing
Thursday, Oct. 25, 7-8:30 p.m., College of Business Auditorium
Questions regarding the agricultural industry will be explored. How does the production and processing of food, in Arkansas and abroad, impact human lives and the physical environment? How are conditions here and abroad similar and/or different?
The Challenge of Challenge Week
Friday, Oct. 26, 3-4:30 p.m., Burdick, Room 205
Friday is a chance for the community to discuss the lessons learned during the week and how to move forward. UCA faculty Kimberly Little and Adam Frank will guide the discussion.
To see the complete schedule of events, visit https://uca.edu/honors/cw/
