Southern California's Environmental History
Political Science 471E
California State University, Northridge
Fall 1997
Faculty: Matthew Cahn Class Meeting: Wednesdays: 4:20 - 7:00 pmOffice: SH 216 Office Hours: M 5-6 pm & W 2:20-4:20 pm
Phone: (818) 677-4797 Email: mcahn@csun.edu
Course Description
This course explores the social ecology of Southern California's urban environment. Too often we define environment in a purely physical way. Since we are interested in the interaction between organisms (human and nonhuman) and their surroundings the word ecology may be more useful. This class will explore our social and physical environment from several perspectives in an effort to provide an organic view -- a living view. The course takes an expansive look at theoretical perspectives in human ecology in an effort to provide a meaningful foundation for "learning our way out" of the environmental quagmire. The environmental discourse is complex; by reviewing the dominant threads this class will prepare students to think critically and systematically about nature and the place of human society within it -- using Los Angeles -- urban environment as a laboratory.
Required Reading
The reading for this course is extensive. Students are expected to read the required texts as assigned for presentation and analysis. The reading list is provided below. Be sure to read assigned material before date for which it is assigned.
Texts: Nichols & Young: The Amazing L.A. Environment (NRDC/ Living Planet Press 1991)
Mike Davis: City of Quartz (Vintage Books, 1992)
Cahn & O'Brien: Thinking About the Environment (M.E. Sharpe, 1996)**
Henry David Thoreau: Walden
B. Kline: First Along the River (Acada Books, 1997)
Dunlap & Mertig: American Environmentalism (Taylor & Francis 1992)
E.O. Wilson: The Diversity of Life (Norton, 1992)
Vig & Kraft: Environmental Policy in the 1990s (CQ Press, 1997, 3nd Edition)
Brown, et. al: State of the World 1997 (Worldwatch Institute/ Norton 1997)
SCAQMD Air Quality Management Plan (SCAQMD 1997)
Regional Transportation Plan (SCAG 1997)
**If not otherwise listed readings below are in Cahn & O'Brien
Course Requirements
This course integrates readings, lecture, discussion, and trips into the field in a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding Southern California=s urban environment. The quality of the course is directly related to the effort each of us puts forward; participation is a critical element. Students are expected to attend class sessions regularly and to keep up with assigned readings. Further, students are expected to participate actively in class trips, class discussions and projects. Finally, students are expected to be prepared to summarize and critically analyze readings within the seminar. Three papers, and midterm and final exam essays will be required. In addition, a service learning component is required in partnership with Van Nuys Middle School. This will be discussed more fully in class.
Participation: 10% Midterm: 20% Service Learning: 20% Papers: 30% Final Exam: 20%
Papers
Three papers analyzing different aspects of Southern California's urban environmental discourse are required. The paper topics will be discussed in class, and relate to the issues we'll be discussing during that month. As always, the papers should be written in scholarly format, with full citations and bibliography. Recent scholarly literature beyond the assigned course readings must be included. Topics should be discussed with the instructor.
SEMESTER OUTLINE
(Readings should be done prior to class session for which they are assigned)
Week 1 (8/27): Social Ecology and the Urban Environment: Los Angeles in Perspective
Overview of course;
Introduction to the cornerstone issues of LA's Environmental Problematic;
Nichols & Young: The Amazing L.A. Environment
Part One: The Physical World
Week 2 (9/3): Southern California=s Urban Geography A
Topography and Climate
Native and Non-Native Species of Plants
Readings TBA
E.O. Wilson: The Diversity of Life (first half)
Week 3 (9/10): Southern California's Urban Geography B
Native and Non-Native Species of Wildlife
Human Impacts on Plants and Wildlife
Readings TBA
E.O. Wilson: The Diversity of Life (second half)
Trip into Field: Wildlife Waystation: Little Tujunga-Urban Wildlife Issues
Week 4 (9/17): Perspectives on Nature and the Physical World
"The Creation of the World," Genesis
"The Purpose of Nature," Aristotle
"The City of God," St. Augustine
"Creation in Light of Luiseņo Religion," Sam Gill
"The Hopi Myth of Creation," Frank Waters
Trip into Field: Chumash Cultural Center, Santa Monica Mountains
Week 5 (9/24): Property and Possession"The Nature of Private Property," Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Second Treatise of Government, John Locke
"The Problem of Justice between Generations," John Rawls
Women and Economics, Charlotte Perkins Gilman
"Asceticism and the Spirit of Capitalism," Max Weber
Paper #1 Due: Develop an essay tracing the relationship between culture and environmental
values, being sure to assess the implications on environmental behaviors and
impacts. (8-10 pages)
Part Two: The Green Critique
Week 6 (10/1): The Relationship between Nature and Civilization
Walden, Henry David Thoreau;
"Nature," Ralph Waldo Emerson;
"One Dimensional Man," Herbert Marcuse
Silent Spring, Rachel Carson; The Population Bomb, Paul Ehrlich
The Closing Circle: Nature, Man, and Technology, Barry Commoner
"The Concept of Social Ecology," from The Ecology of Freedom, Murray Bookchin
"Ecology: The Shallow and the Deep," Arne Naess
"The Tragedy of the Commons," Garrett Hardin
"Feminism and the Revolt of Nature," Ynestra King
Week 7 (10/8): The Environmental Movement in Historical PerspectiveKline: First Along the River
Dunlap & Mertig: American Environmentalism
Guest Speaker: Natural Resources Defense Council
Midterm Exam: Please bring two bluebooks. This will be an in-class essay exam.
Part Three: Southern California's Urban Environment
Week 8 (10/15): Los Angeles' Physical Environment: Air
Brown, et. al: State of the World 1997
Revisit: Nichols & Young: The Amazing L.A. Environment
Handouts on Air Quality, 1940-1997
Week 9 (10/22): Los Angeles' Physical Environment: Water
Handouts on Water Quality, 1940-1997
Readings TBA
Trip into Field: Tillman Water Reclamation Plant & Japanese Garden and
Los Angeles River, unlined section Balboa Basin
Week 10 (10/29): Los Angeles' Physical Environment: Waste
Handouts on Waste, 1940-1997
Readings TBA
Trip into Field: Lopez Canyon Landfill (old problems/ new technologies)
Week 11 (11/5): Los Angeles' Physical Environment: CoastalReadings TBA
Trip into Field: Channel Island National Park Visitors Center
Week 12 (11/12): Los Angeles' Social Environment
Mike Davis: City of Quartz
Handouts: Density, Congestion, Transportation Issues, 1940-1997
Trip into Field: Fortress L.A. Architectural Tour of Downtown
Paper #2 Due: Develop an essay exploring the challenges of Southern California's urban
environment, being sure to apply the theoretical frameworks of the Green Critique toour current problematic. (8-10 pages)
Part Four: Learning Our Way Out
Week 13 (11/19): Themes on Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice, Peter Wenz
Environmental Racism, Robert Bullard
"Should Trees Have Standing?" Christopher Stone
Ecological Literacy, Orr
Trip into Field: Boyle Heights to City of Vernon
Week 14 (11/26): Policy Responses
Vig & Kraft: Environmental Policy in the 1990s (CQ Press, 1997, 3nd Edition)
SCAQMD Air Quality Management Plan (SCAQMD 1997)
Regional Transportation Plan (SCAG 1997)
Week 15 (12/3): Learning Our Way Out
Environmentalism and the Future of Progressive Politics, Paehlke
Envisioning a Sustainable Society: Learning Our Way Out, Milbrath
Bringing it all together; Presentations of Seminar Papers
Paper #3 Due: Develop a research paper exploring any aspect of our urban environment, with a
concern to specific challenges and potential policy responses. (10-12 pages)
Final Exam: Please bring two bluebooks. The Final will be cumulative
Final Exam is as Scheduled.
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Matthew Cahn
Department of Political Science
California State University Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8254
(818) 677-3488
matthew.cahn@csun.edu