Ohio Wesleyan Student Documentaries Examine Delaware’s Economy
(Photo by Vjeran Lisjak, courtesy of stock.xchng)
DELAWARE, Ohio – Students in Ohio Wesleyan University’s “Geographies of the Global Economy” course will screen and discuss five films they produced examining Delaware’s economic and geographic issues during a free public event at 7 p.m. May 7 at the Strand Theater, 28 E. Winter St., Delaware.
Each documentary, created as part of Ohio Wesleyan assistant professor David Walker’s Geography 345 class, is between 20 minutes and 25 minutes long. The documentaries address the following issues:
Downtown Delaware: Changing Socio-Spatial Patterns of Production and Consumption. Is the downtown experiencing gentrification? The owners and investors of downtown Delaware businesses employ particular cultural signs to attract desired clientele. What are the socio-spatial impacts of this form of investment, economic production, and consumption? Produced by Rebecca Sufrin of Pittsburgh; Jaquleen Cole of Lakenheath, England; and Margaret Somerville of New Albany, Ohio. The Latinoficación of Delaware: Is Atzlan Moving North? With the burgeoning of the Latino migrant population in Delaware, what are the socio-spatial impacts of Latino-owned sites of economic activity in Delaware, Columbus, and Central Ohio? Produced by Hannah Sampson of Kent, Ohio; Kelsey Casperson of Chicago; Mira Singhal of Pittsburgh; and Meg Dill of West Hartford, Conn. There Goes the Downtown: How Many Wal-Marts can Delaware Support? The impact of big-box stores on retail businesses is significant. What is the socio-spatial impact of such stores in Delaware? Produced by Gisele Miller of Galena, Ohio; John Reierson of Delaware, Ohio; and Samuel Keen of Evergreen, Colo. The Economies of Transportation Geography: The Kroger Distribution Center. There a lot of cookies and snacks in Delaware. Why is there a Kroger distribution center in Delaware? What incentives did the state, county, and city offer the grocery-retail company? What are the impacts on the employment structures, roadways, and environment? How did zoning impact the company’s decision to locate in Delaware? Produced by Eric Easley of Columbus; Chris Henchey of Melrose, Mass.; and Silas Jolliff of Cardington, Ohio. Light Manufacturing on the West Side: From Mass Production to Just-In-Time Manufacturing. The west side of Delaware is the city’s center of manufacturing. Because of global shifts in economic trade and regulation, Delaware’s manufacturing sector has experienced many changes in the last 30 years. What is the impact of the changes? Produced by Reed Callahan of Cincinnati; Arthur Taylor of Hong Kong; and Katarina Klemensichova of Bratislava, Slovakia.Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier small, private universities. Ohio Wesleyan offers more than 90 undergraduate majors, sequences, and courses of study, and 23 NCAA Division III varsity sports. OWU combines an internationally focused curriculum with off-campus learning and leadership opportunities that connect classroom theory with real-world practice. Located in Delaware, Ohio, OWU’s 1,850 students represent 41 states and 45 countries. The university is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” listed on the 2013 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction, and included on the “best colleges” lists of U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. Learn more at www.owu.edu.