November 11, 2005
Manuel Castells in conversation with
Not A Cornfield artist Lauren Bon
Date: Friday November 11th, 2005; Time: 7:30 PM - 10:30 PM; Location: The Not A Cornfield project site, 1201 North Spring St, Los Angeles, CA, Downtown Cost: Free.
Wallis Annenberg Chair of USC'sof Communication Technology and Society at the Annenberg School of Communication, Sociologist Manuel Castells is internationally renowned for his theory of the Network Society, which describes the spatial form of our time as the 'metropolitan region' - a constellation of multiple nuclear centers, settlements, populations, and activities that are held together as a unit by transportation and communication networks.
Stretching from Ventura to Tijuana, Los Angeles is the 'ultimate region'. A huge urbanized sprawl with many centers in which already extreme social, ethic and economic segregation is increasing and the real estate engine drives the city ever deeper into the desert, causing widespread environmental degradation as it goes.
In this contemporary context the need to develop new forms of livable high density becomes urgent. In particular, if cities are to be saved on behalf of citizens, then innovation will come from urban planners, architects, professionals and concerned citizens forming alliances that take a holistic approach to creating multiple meaningful social spaces all around the metro landscape.
In conversation with artist Lauren Bon - whose Not A Cornfield project reclaims a brownfield site for public use and restores meaning to the historic birthplace of LA - Professor Castells will discuss his groundbreaking analyses and thoughts regarding the state and direction of human experience in the Network Society. [blogged by marc tuters on USC Interactive Media Division Weblog]
Posted by jo at November 11, 2005 11:15 AM
