Modernity: A Disaster Story Set in California
In his book The Ecology of Fear: Los Angeles and the Imagination of Disaster, Mike Davis opened the chapter “Apocalypse Theme Park” with this quote:
“(California) often to its own surprise, has developed a style of urbanization that not only amplifies natural hazards but reactivates dormant hazards and creates hazards where none existed.”—Wesley Marx, 1977
California’s identities as both the landscape of the New American Dream and an Apocalypse Theme Park were born together and have defined the state from its founding. This dialectic is rooted in both time and place. California was, as many historians have noted, born modern. From the beginning, our state embodied both the wonders and the terrors of modernity. At the same time, California’s distinctive climate and spectacular landscape—its mountains, valleys, coastline, and deadly deserts—were imagined as both heaven on earth and hell itself.
In this course, we will explore some pivotal moments in California history through this tension, focusing on the ways anxieties and fears about modernity have been played out in Hollywood “Disaster” films set in California.
Faculty Bio
Kathleen Moran is a founder and faculty member of UC Berkeley's American Studies Program and has taught courses in History, English, Film, Geography, Architecture and Art History. She is a recipient of Berkeley's Distinguished Teaching Award.
This is an In-Person-Only Course
- Classes meet in person at the Golden Bear Center, Suite 365, at 1995 University Ave., Berkeley
- Limited to 40 members
- You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program.
Schedule Highlights
- Course starts on Wednesday, Jan. 20, and ends on Wednesday, Feb. 24
- Classes meet for 6 weeks, 2 hours per session (1–3 PM)
- All course materials will remain available to view and enjoy in Member Dashboards through March 28
Member Praise for Kathleen Moran
An extremely knowledgeable instructor and one of the finest lecturers I’ve encountered ever.
Everything about this course was wonderful. Kathleen was not just knowledgable, but also animated. Her knowledge of the topic was excellent. I'd love to take another class with her.
Great course! Kathleen is terrific at providing a deep and nuanced lecture on film, novels and California history as well as the interrelationship among them. I got so much out of the class. I hope she teaches at OLLI again.