Fall 2009 Professor Jennifer Mapes Office: KAP 450C Office Hours: MWF 11 am to noon, or by appointment Phone: 213-790-0743 Email1*: jmapes@usc.edu GEOG 100: Los Angeles and the American Dream Since its early days, boosters of Los Angeles have promised the American dream: balmy winters, beaches, and beautiful people. Others have argued that Los Angeles is the antithesis of paradise: it is sprawling, unequal, and prone to natural disasters. The real city is more complex. It is neither heaven nor hell, but a real place with real people. This course considers the disparities between the Los Angeles of our imagination and the realities of everyday life in the city. It also examines how these ideas about the city affect what happens on the ground. The first part of the course will focus on the history and geography of Los Angeles. The second part of the course will examine contemporary issues in three places: the Los Angeles River, downtown Los Angeles, and the University of Southern California neighborhood. We will consider how change in these places (and representations of this change in media) reflect more broadly on Los Angeles and the American dream. Course objectives • To understand key places, events, and topics in the history and geography of Los Angeles. To understand the social, environmental, and economic conflicts inherent in everyday Los Angeles. To think critically about how the city is experienced and represented. • • Please use proper email etiquette when contacting me at this address. Also, please include “GEOG 100” in the subject line. Failure to include this will result in a delayed response. 1 1