Research Experience for Undergradutes
During the summer of 2009 I participated in
the NSF sponsored program at the University
of North Texas. I completed a research paper
titled:
On the Line in the Motor City:
Narratives of Latina Auto Worker Culture
Abstract:
Latina auto workers are an unrecognized population within the U.S. auto industry. This study gives voice to them by using personal accounts of their struggles working on an assembly line while raising a family. I discuss the shared vision of the American Dream of Latinas and explore how their desire for the American Dream is made all the more difficult by lifelong marginalization and the challenge of cultural assimilation. In particular, I explore the settlement patterns of Latino families to Michigan, their personal experiences navigating the auto factory work place and the effects of their role as an auto worker on their family. To gain a broader understanding of the experiences of Latinas working in the auto industry I also look at their perceptions of their own childhood experiences. Studying their interactions with others in the auto factory and exploring factors effecting the raising of their children will illustrate the complexity of their everyday lives.
Click on poster to see larger view.
