Changing Gears: Muncie's Deindustrialization

In anticipation of the upcoming visit by Richard Longworth, author of the campus and community read "Caught in the Middle: America's Heartland in the Age of Globalism", a screening of the documentary "Changing Gears".

When: Wednesday, March 21st 7-8:30pm
Where: Student Center Forum Room
Q & A: following screening with Producers James Connolly and Rodger Smith

Changing Gears
Ball State's Institute for Digital Education and Entertainment and the Center for Middletown Studies jointly produced Changing Gears, a feature-length documentary film about the closing of Muncie's century-old Warner Gear auto parts plant and the loss of industry in the city.
A bookend for the original Middletown research into the impact of industrialization, the film explores the meaning and significance of deindustrialization by examining the experiences of plant's workers and the community. In doing so, the project touches on several of parts of the center's agenda. It documents the experience of deindustrialization in rich fashion, it creates and exploits digital resources connected with Middletown research, and it has provided a group of Ball State students with a unique immersive learning experience. Fifteen students participated in the filming, editing, writing, and historical research connected with the film.

Sponsored by: Freshman Connections, Excellence in Leadership and Center for Middletown Studies.