Here are some resources as we spend the week exploring the idea of outsourcing and its effects on immigration, industrialization, and invention.

There are two sides to the argument of outsourcing. One side indicates that outsourcing is bad for Americans and for our economy; the other side argues that outsourcing is good for the economy and creates as many jobs (maybe more) than are sent overseas.

We'll examine both sides of this debate. Then we'll make predictions about the effect of outsourcing on immigration and, time permitting, industry. You might begin to think about what types of inventions will become necessary due to the outsourcing of American jobs. (After all, necessity is the mother of invention!)

Outsourcing Sheet (first day ... brainstorming sheet)

Outsourcing: Pros and Cons sheet

PDF verison of Outsourcing: Pros and Cons sheet

Invention Sheet

PDF version of Invention Sheet

This pbs.org link will give you a nice overview of the two sides of the outsourcing debate in addition to links to other resources on the topic. It's a good homebase for our research.

"The Great Hollowing-Out Myth" article from The Economist, as referenced on the pro-outsourcing side of the chart on the pbs.org site, is here.

This is the George Monbiot pro-outsourcing article entitled The Flight to India. The link on the pbs.org site isn't as direct as this link.

Here is an interesting anti-outsourcing article from The Center for American Progress called The Politics of Outsourcing.