Essay # 3: Position Essay

What Standards of Child Labor Should Apply Overseas?

“Child labor is condemned as immoral and exploitative, but despite pledges to crack down, international corporations continue to struggle to prevent minors from being hired at their contract manufacturers overseas. Some say such rules prevent poor families from improving their lives. [The hyperlink here takes you to a story about a Samsung contractor suspended over child labor allegations.]

Should Western child labor standards apply in developing countries?”

What is the responsibility of Western companies when they depend on children working overseas for their companies?

Read and briefly summarize the four views presented on the New York Times website entitled “Room for Debate”:

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/07/16/what-standards-of-child-labor-should-apply-in-developing-countries

Contrast/compare these views, and then develop your own position from the following perspective: If I owned a company which contracted manufacturers overseas, and I knew those manufacturers depended on children in their work force, what would I do? What standards should apply to child labor?

Your audience is twofold: the first is an investigative journalist examining company ethics with regards to child labor laws; the second are your investors and stock holders.

The position section should represent approximately half of your paper. You will need several good paragraphs to develop your argument and support. One paragraph will not suffice!

If you do consult other documents, you will, of course, need to include these in a bibliography at the end, as well as the appropriate parenthetical references if you quote, summarize, or paraphrase. When using the articles from the NYT site, simply use a parenthetical reference with the author’s name. Include the main site page in your bibliography.

(This specs sheet is uploaded in Pointcarré.)

Specs:

1000-1500 words (excluding TAP), 12 pt. Times font, 1.5 lineation.

TAP.