The lecture delivered by Marcia Chatelain, a respected scholar specializing in history and, in particular, studies of racial ethnicity, is based on the analysis of her book called “Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America.” After she is introduced to the audience, Ms. Chatelain introduces the key messages of her research. Her book explores the complexities reflecting African Americans’ self-identity and the controversial nuances of social relationships through the prism of the franchise as a phenomenon that emerged in the second half of the 20th century. The author pays particular attention to McDonald’s, a fast-food restaurant chain, and discusses how the globalization agenda in business was associated with moods in society. Ms. Chatelain notes that the chain’s controversial policy stance that was associated with an open bias towards the African American populations at certain times suggests a strong relationship between social and business dimensions. By using other well-known franchises as an example, she shows the rapid development of retail chains and a changing political course associated with racial-ethnic issues.
As additional examples, the researcher cites various situations from American history that highlight the ambiguity of African American culture in the context of the existing social orders. For instance, Ms. Chatelain draws attention to the personality of Bill Clinton, ex-president of the United States who personified the person familiar with black people’s interests. The rise of African American capitalism largely helped transform social attitudes towards equality, including those in business. The researcher compares the mechanism of franchising with the parent-school approach and states that, in the world of ideological transformation, this business industry also developed. At the end of the lecture, the speaker summarizes and notes that aspects of ethnicity and racial differences are essential to consider in the context of social trends that are also influenced by business.