Michelle M Christian
- Postdoctoral Research Scholar
- Sociology
- 253 Soc/Psych
- Campus Box 90088
- Phone: 919-660-5719
- Fax: 919-660-5623
- Homepage
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Research Description
My research focuses on the intersection between racial and gender stratification, economic globalization, and labor. My dissertation analyzed the racial mechanisms of inclusion, exclusion, and stratification for micro businesses and workers in the tourism global value chain in Costa Rica. I compared two tourism towns in Costa Rica that had different racial demographics, connections to the Costa Rican state, and positions in the global economy. I determined that firm linkages, labor strategies, and institutional arrangements were connected to the racial history of Costa Rica and facilitated stratification. Since returning from Costa Rica I have been involved with the collaborative international research project, "Capturing the Gains, Economic and Social Upgrading in Global Production Networks," a UK Department of International Development (DFID) grant. For the project, I am a tourism research coordinator. I am working with colleagues to address the contours of the tourism GVC/GPN and if workers are able to gain what the ILO labels Decent Work. We have collected data in six countries and eleven tourism communities. I was in Kenya in 2011 and Uganda in 2012 to collect data. In December 2012 we will hold a Capturing the Gains Global Summit in Cape Town South Africa to distribute our findings to stakeholders.
