Urban and Environmental Policy Program 

 

POLITICS 207

LOS ANGELES POLITICS

Fall 2002

T-TH 3:00-4:30 PM

 

Professor Regina Freer                                                                                     Office Hours

UEPI                                                                                                                Tu and Wed 10:30-12noon         X2924                                                                                                               and by appointment

e-mail: rfreer@oxy.edu

 

Course Description

 

This is a course about urban politics that takes Los Angeles as its case study. Because of the pattern of growth in the area, Los Angeles is broadly defined to encompass the city, the county, and the region. Since politics is the study of power we will examine power in the context of the city; who has it, who seeks it, how has it shifted over time, and what are the consequences of it being exercised? While there will be significant attention paid to powerful individuals and institutions, the class will pay equal attention to the agency of those who have at various times had the least power in the city; how are they represented or not represented, how can they influence the exercise of power?

 

Many look to Los Angeles as a paradigmatic city. We will query the appropriateness of this observation as we identify key concepts in urban politics, apply them to Los Angeles, and then consider how much Los Angeles sets trends or deviates from them.

 

Course Texts

 

The following required texts are available and should be purchased in the bookstore:

 

Davis, Mike., City of Quartz

 

Ross, Bernard H. and Myron A. Levine., Urban Politics: Power in Metropolitan America

 

Sonenshein, Raphael J., Politics in Black and White: Race and Power in Los Angeles

 

Additional readings will be posted on the library’s course reserves on the web.

 

Students are also required to read the Los Angeles Times daily. In an effort to help students meet this requirement, there will be time set aside each class period to survey relevant news of the day. All students should be prepared to offer insight. You may read the paper on line (LATimes.com), but I strongly suggest you purchase a subscription. Students should also watch the local public affairs show “Life and Times” nightly at 7pm on PBS, and public access channels which televise public meetings and other events.

 

Course Requirements

(The professor reserves the right to amend these requirements during the semester.)

 

 

 

Students must complete a total of 10 Reaction/Research Papers over the course of the semester. Four of these will be assigned in conjunction with group presentations at the end of the term, but the remaining six can be selected at each student’s discretion. These 1 page papers (12 pt. font and double spaced with one inch margins) are intended to maintain student’s engagement with the topics and readings for each week. The assignments for each paper are included in the syllabus and they are due in lecture the day the topic is discussed. No late papers will be accepted and lateness is defined as being after 3:05pm that day of class. These papers will be graded ( -,    -,   ,   +, +) for grammar, style, effort, and insight. When the assignment focuses on a particular reading for the week, you must offer an analysis of how the reading adds to an understanding of the topic. You should not simply summarize or describe the reading. When the assignment calls for outside research, you should do this independently and not in conjunction with other students.

 

Each of the two papers assigned during the term (Paper #1 and Paper #2) will be 4-5 page take home papers that require independent analysis of material from the course.

 

The Group Assignment affords students the opportunity to work with classmates on a collective project. The assignment entails three primary elements, two of which are graded. Students will be assigned to a group and each group will be assigned one of the following five issue areas: Environment, Housing, Police, Schools, and Transportation. The group must research the issue, write a 7-10 page paper which addresses a series of questions provided by the professor, offer an in-class presentation of their findings, and assign reading on the issue for other students in the course. The group will be graded on the paper and the presentation. When their group is not presenting students are required to do a reaction paper based upon the presenter’s assigned reading. As described above, each student will do four of these papers. More detailed information about this assignment will be handed out in class.

 

Attendance and Participation are vital to the success of this class. Consistent participation in discussion is expected. The class will only be interesting and meaningful if you are faithfully in attendance, conscientiously do ALL of the assigned readings, and consistently contribute to discussion. I reserve the right to sporadically take roll, or administer pop quizzes if attendance and participation dramatically decline.

 

Extra-credit is given for participation in a political campaign (this includes candidates as well as particular issues) or work with an elected official or organization directly impacting policy-making in the City of Los Angeles. All placements must be pre-approved by the professor by the third week of classes. This credit is only given for work done during the semester and you must complete at least 30 hours total. To receive this credit you must turn in a 5 page paper which details your activities and analyzes how your co-curricular experience supplemented course material. Did it support or challenge what you learned in class? You must also have a supervisor from the campaign or office verify that you did in fact complete at least 30 hours of work. Finally, you must be prepared to discuss your experiences in class during the semester as they relate to topics being discussed. If all these requirements are satisfactorily met your final course grade will be raised by 1/3 (eg; a B+ becomes an A-).

 

*Accommodation of disability-related needs is available upon request.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schedule of Topics and Assignments

 

All reading should be completed prior to the lecture for that day.

 

*Introduction

            Th 8/29

 

 

*Why study urban politics? Why study Los Angeles politics?

            Tu 9/3

 

Read:

Ross and Levine Ch 1; pp 1-27 and Ch 2; pp 28-62

 

 

*Los Angeles History - 230+ years in a day!

            Th 9/5

 

Read:

Scott and Soja “Introduction to Los Angeles”; pp 1-21

 

 

*Old Guard and Founding Elites - Wealth, Power, and Politics in Old LA

            Tu 9/10

(R/R paper topic: Davis)

Read:

Davis “Powerlines”; pp 99-149

Halberstam “The Los Angeles Times”; pp 94-122

 

 

*The Progressive Era and Reform - For the Public Good?

            Th 9/12

(R/R paper topic: Fogelson)

Read:

Ross and Levine Ch 5; pp 131-157 and Ch 6; pp 159-193

Fogelson “The Politics of Progressivism” and “The Municipal Ownership Movement”

 

 

*Alternative Politics - Beyond The Old Boys Network

            Tu 9/17

(R/R paper topic: Gottlieb et al)

Read:

McWilliams “The Politics of Utopia”; pp 273-313

Hines “Housing, Baseball, and Creeping Socialism” ; pp 123-143

Gottlieb et al. “Mosaic of Movements””

 

 

*Structures and Leadership - So Who Runs This Place?

            Th 9/19

(R/R paper topic: An issue of concern to Council District 14 residents)

Read:

Ross and Levine Ch 4; pp 87-130

Gold “Most Hahn Appointees” -- handed out in class

 

 

*Regimes - Public/Private Partnerships, Who Has The Power?

            Tu 9/24

(R/R paper topic: Davis “Fortress LA”)

Read:

Ross and Levine Ch 3; pp 63-86

Davis “The Mercenaries” and “Epilogue”; pp 70-97 and “Fortress LA”; pp 221-263

Gottlieb et al. “Setting an Agenda”

 

 

*Charter Reform - Rules and Regulations Matter!

            Th 9/26

(R/R paper topic: Chemerinsky “On Being a Framer”)

Read:

Schockman “Is Los Angeles Governable?”

Meyerson “Reform School: Everything you ever wanted to know about charter reform but had the good sense not to ask”

Chemerinsky “On Being a Framer”

Chemerinsky “Further Reflections of a Framer”

 

 

CLASS TRIP TO CITY HALL

            Tu 10/1

 

 

*Bureacracy - So This Is Who Really Runs This Place ?!

            Th 10/3

(R/R paper topic: Research the responsibilities, leadership, and funding of a particular City Agency)

Read:

Ross and Levine Ch 8

TBA

 

 

*Intergovernmental Relations - Beyond the City Limits

            Tu 10/8

*** PAPER #1 DUE*** (no R/R paper)

Read:

Ross and Levine Ch 13; 401-430 and Ch 14; pp 431-458

TBA

 

 

*Suburbanization and Growth Politics - Escape From LA Part I!

            Th 10/10

(R/R paper topic: Davis “Homegrown Revolution”)

Read:

Ross and Levine Ch 10; 297-334

Davis “Homegrown Revolution”; pp 153-219

Fulton “The Collapse of the Growth Machine” and “Perestroika Coopted”

Blinderman “The Development of Slow Growth”

 

 

FALL BREAK Tu 10/15 - NO CLASS

 

 

*Secession - Escape From LA Part II!

            Th 10/17

(R/R paper topic: Two sides of secession debate)

Read:

Boudrean and Keith “Seceding from Responsibility”

Bernstein and Gold “Drive to Secede Proves Persistent”

“Kotkin and Siegel “The Best Way to Bust Up L.A.”

 

 

*Metropolitanism - Are We All In This Together?

            Tu 10/22

(R/R paper topic: Dreier et al)

Read:

Ross and Levine Ch 11; pp 335-362 and Ch 12; pp 363-400

Dreier et al “Metropolicies for the Twenty-first Century” and “Crossing the City Line”

 

 

*The Economy - Where’s the Middle?

            Th 10/24

(R/R paper topic: the living wage campaign in LA)

Read:

Ong and Blumenberg “Income and Racial Inequality in Los Angeles”

Chart - “Los Angeles Income Distribution: 1994-1996”

TBA

 

 

*Race, Ethnicity, and LA Politics - The Bradley Years

            Tu 10/29

(R/R paper topic: Sonenshein)

Read:

Sonenshein - entire book

Jackson and Preston “Race and Ethnicity in Los Angeles Politics”

 

 

*Race, Ethnicity, and LA Politics - 1992 and Beyond

            Th 10/31

(R/R paper topic: Census 2000 and Los Angeles)

Read:

Freer “Black-Korean Conflict”

TBA

 

 

*The 2001 Mayor’s Race - Winners and Losers

            Tu 11/5

*** PAPER #2 DUE*** (no R/R paper)

Read:

Meyerson

Rainey and Krikorian “Hahn Won on His Appeal to Moderates,Conservatives” -- handed out in class

 

 

*Citizen Participation -

            Th 11/7

 

Read:

Ross and Levine Ch 7

TBA

 

 

Group Presentation: Environment

            Tu 11/12

 

Read:

TBA

 

 

Group Presentation: Housing

            Th 11/14

 

Read:

TBA

 

 

Group Presentation: Police

            Tu 11/19

 

Read:

TBA

 

 

Group Presentation: Schools

            Th 11/21

 

Read:

TBA

 

 

Group Presentation: Transportation

            Tu 11/26

 

Read:

TBA

 

 

CLASS CANCELLED Th 12/3

 

 

Conclusion: Which Way LA?

            Tu 12/5