Human and Social Human and Social Hazards in Los Hazards in Los

AngelesAngeles

Source: http://i.askask.com

The United States of America

Source: http://mapsofwprld.com/usa

Los Angeles the City of Angels?

Source: http://www.beach-cities-la.com

LosLos AngelesAngeles• ““The capital of the 20The capital of the 20thth

century”.century”.

• LA has become increasingly LA has become increasingly important as the world important as the world realises it is facing a Pacific realises it is facing a Pacific century.century.

• 60 mile city.60 mile city.

• Population c.12 million.Population c.12 million.

• Gross annual output of c.Gross annual output of c.$250 billion.$250 billion.

• LA as a window through LA as a window through which to view rest of the which to view rest of the world.world.

Source: http//www.hellolosangeles.com

The Growth of LAThe Growth of LA• Multi centred region. Five counties: LA, Orange, Multi centred region. Five counties: LA, Orange,

Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura.Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura.

• Hard to over emphasis how much LA is growing, Hard to over emphasis how much LA is growing, changing, expanding.changing, expanding.

• Centrality of cars in contemporary cities. Centrality of cars in contemporary cities. Exacerbating fragmentation, privatisation, Exacerbating fragmentation, privatisation, segregation.segregation.

• LA’s inhabitants have been energetically, LA’s inhabitants have been energetically, ceaselessly and sometimes carelessly unrolling ceaselessly and sometimes carelessly unrolling urbanisation over natural landscape for more than urbanisation over natural landscape for more than a century. a century.

• Uninhibited occupation has engendered its own Uninhibited occupation has engendered its own range of environmental problems e.g. air pollution, range of environmental problems e.g. air pollution, habitat loss and dangerous encounters between habitat loss and dangerous encounters between humans and animals.humans and animals.

The Economic The Economic Restructuring of LARestructuring of LA

• 4 elements :4 elements :– Closures in smokestack manufacturing, during Closures in smokestack manufacturing, during

60’s, 70’s and 80’s.60’s, 70’s and 80’s.– New jobs created in high tech sectors.New jobs created in high tech sectors.– Increase in sweatshop industries.Increase in sweatshop industries.– Large scale inward investment in property from Large scale inward investment in property from

Japanese and overseas Chinese interests.Japanese and overseas Chinese interests.

• Contrast between low tech garment Contrast between low tech garment industry and high tech (aerospace) industry and high tech (aerospace) industry – a bi polar economy.industry – a bi polar economy.

Changes in World Economy Changes in World Economy and Impacts on LA and Impacts on LA

• Shifting world market for labour coupled with shifting Shifting world market for labour coupled with shifting world market for production sites.world market for production sites.

• Disinvestment and unemployment in one country can Disinvestment and unemployment in one country can be linked to employment in another nation.be linked to employment in another nation.

• Pockets of affluence created in core cities in turn Pockets of affluence created in core cities in turn generate demand for customised production and generate demand for customised production and personal services performed by low wage workers, personal services performed by low wage workers, thereby contributing to uneven development within thereby contributing to uneven development within growing cities at core.growing cities at core.

• Sweatshops: employ immigrants from Asia, Mexico and Sweatshops: employ immigrants from Asia, Mexico and Central America. Availability of illegal immigrant labour Central America. Availability of illegal immigrant labour lacking basic right of citizenship and willing to work for lacking basic right of citizenship and willing to work for low wages is a major factor contributing to rise of new low wages is a major factor contributing to rise of new sweatshops and their spatial concentration in large US sweatshops and their spatial concentration in large US core cities.core cities.

Changes in World Economy Changes in World Economy and Impacts on LA 2and Impacts on LA 2

• Number of low paid service jobs has increased dramatically Number of low paid service jobs has increased dramatically => sometimes viewed as a distinct type of economic => sometimes viewed as a distinct type of economic restructuring restructuring – in LA “almost a third world in a first world city.”– in LA “almost a third world in a first world city.”

• Corporate centre restructuring often involves migration of Corporate centre restructuring often involves migration of better paid managerial/professional people to inner city, often better paid managerial/professional people to inner city, often to luxury apartments or gentrified homes, whose construction to luxury apartments or gentrified homes, whose construction involves displacement of middle/low income households.involves displacement of middle/low income households.

• Government investment is important to economic health of Government investment is important to economic health of LA. Defence and aerospace contracts for huge projects like LA. Defence and aerospace contracts for huge projects like space shuttle and high tech weapons systems fuel growth of space shuttle and high tech weapons systems fuel growth of region.region.

• Perhaps more than any other place, LA is everywhere. Global Perhaps more than any other place, LA is everywhere. Global in fullest sense of word. Nowhere, is this more evident than in in fullest sense of word. Nowhere, is this more evident than in its cultural projection and ideological reach.its cultural projection and ideological reach.

“ “With exquisite irony, contemporary LA has With exquisite irony, contemporary LA has come to resemble more than ever before a come to resemble more than ever before a gigantic agglomeration of theme parks, a gigantic agglomeration of theme parks, a life space comprised of Disneyworld's. It is life space comprised of Disneyworld's. It is a realm divided into showcases of global a realm divided into showcases of global village cultures and mimetic American village cultures and mimetic American landscapes, all embracing shopping malls landscapes, all embracing shopping malls and crafty Main Streets, corporation and crafty Main Streets, corporation sponsored magic kingdoms, high sponsored magic kingdoms, high technology based experimental prototype technology based experimental prototype communities of tomorrow, attractively communities of tomorrow, attractively packaged places for rest and recreation all packaged places for rest and recreation all cleverly hiding the buzzing workstations and cleverly hiding the buzzing workstations and labour processes which help to keep it all labour processes which help to keep it all together” (Soja, 2000).together” (Soja, 2000).

Social Exclusion and the Social Exclusion and the “Revolt of the Elite”“Revolt of the Elite”

• Perhaps most heterogeneous city in world.Perhaps most heterogeneous city in world.

• Shift in ethnic composition of LA county Shift in ethnic composition of LA county population from 70% Anglo in 1970 to 60% non population from 70% Anglo in 1970 to 60% non Anglo in 1990.Anglo in 1990.

• Shift from African-American to Latino population.Shift from African-American to Latino population.

• LA less a ‘melting pot’ than NYC. Lots of different LA less a ‘melting pot’ than NYC. Lots of different nationalities but tend to live in ethnic enclaves.nationalities but tend to live in ethnic enclaves.

• LA police have a reputation for being racist.LA police have a reputation for being racist.

Social Exclusion and the Social Exclusion and the “Revolt of the Elite” 2“Revolt of the Elite” 2

• Obsession with physical security systems and architectural Obsession with physical security systems and architectural policing of social boundaries.policing of social boundaries.

• ““We live in fortress cities brutally divided between the fortified We live in fortress cities brutally divided between the fortified cells of affluent society and places of terror where the police cells of affluent society and places of terror where the police battle the battle the criminalisedcriminalised poor (Soja, 2000)”. poor (Soja, 2000)”.

• In cities like LA unprecedented tendency to merge urban In cities like LA unprecedented tendency to merge urban design, architecture and police apparatus into a single, design, architecture and police apparatus into a single, comprehensive security effort.comprehensive security effort.

• Market provision of security generates its own paranoid Market provision of security generates its own paranoid demand. Security becomes a positional good defined by demand. Security becomes a positional good defined by income, access to private protective services and membership income, access to private protective services and membership in some hardened residential enclave or restricted suburb. in some hardened residential enclave or restricted suburb. Security has less to do with personal safety than with degree of Security has less to do with personal safety than with degree of personal insulation from unsavory groups, individuals and personal insulation from unsavory groups, individuals and crowds in general.crowds in general.

Social Exclusion and the Social Exclusion and the “Revolt of the Elite” 3“Revolt of the Elite” 3

• ‘‘Fear proves itself’ – social perception of threat becomes a Fear proves itself’ – social perception of threat becomes a function of security function of security mobilisationmobilisation itself, not crime rates. itself, not crime rates.

• Today's pseudo public spaces – sumptuary malls, office Today's pseudo public spaces – sumptuary malls, office centrescentres, cultural acropolises and so on are full of invisible , cultural acropolises and so on are full of invisible signs warning off underclass other.signs warning off underclass other.

• Universal and inevitable consequence of crusade to secure Universal and inevitable consequence of crusade to secure city is destruction of accessible public space.city is destruction of accessible public space.

• Fredrick Law Olmstead conceived public spaces and parks Fredrick Law Olmstead conceived public spaces and parks as social safety valves, mixing classes and ethnicities in as social safety valves, mixing classes and ethnicities in common recreations and enjoyments.common recreations and enjoyments.

• Quality of any urban environment can be measured by Quality of any urban environment can be measured by whether there are convenient, comfortable places for whether there are convenient, comfortable places for pedestrians to sit.pedestrians to sit.

Social Exclusion and the Social Exclusion and the “Revolt of the Elite” 4“Revolt of the Elite” 4

• Bunker Hill, LA’s new Downtown: tens of millions spent on Bunker Hill, LA’s new Downtown: tens of millions spent on ‘soft’ environments for office workers and upscale ‘soft’ environments for office workers and upscale tourists. In contrast, few blocks away city is making tourists. In contrast, few blocks away city is making public facilities and spaces as ‘unliveable’ as possible for public facilities and spaces as ‘unliveable’ as possible for homeless and poor.homeless and poor.

• Skid row – outdoor poor house, one of most dangerous Skid row – outdoor poor house, one of most dangerous ten blocks in world.ten blocks in world.

• Many homeless try to ‘escape’ to safer areas but city Many homeless try to ‘escape’ to safer areas but city tightens noose with increased police harassment and tightens noose with increased police harassment and ingenious design deterrents e.g.ingenious design deterrents e.g.– Barrel shaped bus benches, minimal surface for comfortable Barrel shaped bus benches, minimal surface for comfortable

sitting while making sleeping impossiblesitting while making sleeping impossible– Outdoor sprinklersOutdoor sprinklers– Ornate enclosures to protect wasteOrnate enclosures to protect waste– No public toiletsNo public toilets– LAPD regularly sweep streets, confiscate ‘cardboard condos’LAPD regularly sweep streets, confiscate ‘cardboard condos’

The 1992 RiotsThe 1992 Riots• Rodney King an African-American who — while being Rodney King an African-American who — while being

videotaped by a bystander — was severely beaten and videotaped by a bystander — was severely beaten and arrested by the LAPD during a police traffic stop in 1991. arrested by the LAPD during a police traffic stop in 1991.

• Incident raised a public outcry, especially in African-Incident raised a public outcry, especially in African-American community, among people who believed incident American community, among people who believed incident was racially motivated.was racially motivated.

• Subsequent acquittal in a state court of 4 officers charged Subsequent acquittal in a state court of 4 officers charged with using excessive force in subduing King led to 1992 LA with using excessive force in subduing King led to 1992 LA riots and mass protest around country.riots and mass protest around country.

Source: http://www.historycentral.com Source: http://www.stamford.edu

• Left hundreds of buildings severely damaged or Left hundreds of buildings severely damaged or destroyed, caused more than $1 billion worth of destroyed, caused more than $1 billion worth of damage, killed 55 people, injured 2383, and led damage, killed 55 people, injured 2383, and led to arrest of more than 8000 people. to arrest of more than 8000 people.

• Smaller riots occurred in other U.S. cities.Smaller riots occurred in other U.S. cities.

Source: http://www.temple.edu Source: http://www.law.umkc.edu

ConclusionConclusion• Fragmented and polarised city.Fragmented and polarised city.

• Symbolic and high tech industries stand in stark contrast Symbolic and high tech industries stand in stark contrast to industrial firms and Sweatshops that underpin city.to industrial firms and Sweatshops that underpin city.

• Highly diverse ethnic mix, but live in segregated areas. Highly diverse ethnic mix, but live in segregated areas. How is empathy and understanding of difference How is empathy and understanding of difference engendered if it is never or rarely experienced?engendered if it is never or rarely experienced?

• Crime and fear of crime have lead to a ‘culture of fear’.Crime and fear of crime have lead to a ‘culture of fear’.

• Physical environment reflects this with a decreasing Physical environment reflects this with a decreasing amount of public space and an increasing amount of amount of public space and an increasing amount of fortified development.fortified development.

• Problems boil over in re-occurring events such as the Problems boil over in re-occurring events such as the 1992 riots.1992 riots.

BibliographyBibliography

• Dear, M. (2000) Dear, M. (2000) The Postmodern Urban The Postmodern Urban ConditionCondition. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.

• Dear, M. and Flusty, S (2001) Dear, M. and Flusty, S (2001) The spaces of The spaces of postmodernity : readings in human postmodernity : readings in human geography. geography. Malden, MA: Blackwell Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers. Publishers.

• Soja, E. (2000) Soja, E. (2000) Postmetropolis: Critical Studies Postmetropolis: Critical Studies of Cities and Regions.of Cities and Regions. Oxford: Blackwell Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.Publishers.