Analysing Social Difference in L.A -Week 4

WEEK 4 - Santa Monica

The location I chose for this week was Santa Monica and, again, I travelled from UCLA on the number one bus. This beachside city has become famous for its many attractions and sites which brings tourists from all over. The area is also home to many affluent families and hollywood stars. On arrival in Santa Monica, my excitement towards walking the famous pier and the golden beaches was quickly dampened when something caught my attention. Just off Ocean Boulevard was a wide-open, grass area occupied by a number of homeless people. There was approximately 50 individuals, each person sitting next down guarding all their belonging. The park itself was very clean and well maintained and is very exposed to the on-looking public. There seemed to be an "establishment of a social boundary" which draws attention to the stark contrast in class. (Sibley, 1995) This  noticeably distinct containment of the homeless people emphasises the gap in inequality between themselves and on lookers.

Figure 1- The contrast between the Tourists and Homeless

Drawing upon the view of Engels, who believed "brutal indifference and the unfeeling of isolation…becomes more offensive, the more these individuals are crowded together, within a limited space," we notice an example of this in Santa Monica. On either side of the park were tourists, walking with huge shopping bags, enhancing the difference in inequality between the social groups. This stark reminder highlighted the huge difference in class right away; a common trait which is becoming apparent across many other affluent societies in LA. 

What I found extremely disturbing was that many police officers were patrolling the area. (Figure 2) They were almost treating the homeless as a threat to other social groups in the area and "criminalising their survival acts." (Johnson, Fitzpatrick, 2009) This is a common topic addressed by many Geographers including Sibley, who discusses social tensions relating to power in urban societies.  The constant reference to "threat" across a number of sources is quite shocking. Since the 1990's Los Angeles, along with many other US cities, have attempted to crackdown on homeless people in public areas and are imposing "fortressing" of downtown areas to discourage the homeless from settling here. (Davis, 1990)  Many other features within the park implied that the community did not want the homeless locating there. The  benches are constructed in such a way that the homeless are unable to sleep on these benches. (See Figure 3) 

 Figure 3-Benches to Prevent Homeless people sleeping

Figure 2-Police Monitoring Area

One positive I took from this exploration was that there is in fact an organisation in Santa Monica to help the homeless. The OPPC (ocean park community centre) provides care and accommodation for the low-income citizens and homeless. Although many homeless people locate in this area, it is reassuring to know that there are organisations in place to cater for the homeless peoples' basic needs. Furthermore, as the homeless people were amongst other homeless people, they seemed   comfortable here. They were able to speak with one another and didn't interact with anyone walking by. It almost felt as though they had accepted their social position and were happy to remain within their social boundary. 

-Engels, F (1845) "The Great Towns," from the condition of the working class in England; Oxford University Press.

-Davis, M, (1990) City of Quartz; London: Vintage.

-Sibley, D (1995) "Mapping the pure and defiled, from geographies of difference: Societies and Difference in the West. 

Week 1: Introduction

1. My name is Andrew Wilson. I am an international student from Scotland, majoring in both Economics and Geography. Over the course of the next 10 weeks, I will provide an insight into the variation in social difference across 5 L.A locations, pinpointing specific social topics of interest. One topic I am particularly interested in is class inequality, and the effect that economic processes have on the distribution of wealth throughout the city. Having only been in LA for 3 weeks, the immense number of homeless people is alarming; most of whom are living only minutes from some of the worlds richest entertainers. Throughout this blog, I will draw upon the the age old argument of the impacts of space and place, focusing on how they interact with each other to create societies. This will provide a good basis for discussion. 
   
   

   What better place to explore social difference than Los Angeles? Societies and social difference have shaped the metropolitan area for decades, creating a unique urban environment which is changing rapidly across the city. The city offers a multi-race and ethnic community spread across countless neighbourhoods, each with a different approach to living.  Prior to my visit, the city of Los Angeles is well-known worldwide for its illustrious entertainment industry, media centre and possibility of living celebrity-like lifestyles. Hundreds of People flock here in search of a better life, hoping to make that elevation to stardom. This widespread perception deceives the masses and  disguises some of the social and economic pressures this city has to offer - differences in race, gender, ethnicity, age, religion and more.
   
   As a stranger to this city and the US culture as a whole, I relish the opportunity to explore the city in greater detail, hoping provide me with a better understand of social difference. I look forward to sharing my ideas with everyone and welcome any feedback or contrasting views you wish to share with me.