Up For Discussion

As L.A. Gentrifies, Who Gets Left Behind?

With New Development and Organic Markets on the Rise, Many Working-Class Neighborhoods Are Transforming—Maybe for the Worse

When a British sociologist coined the term “gentrification” in 1963, she wrote that it happens when “working class quarters have been invaded by the middle class … until all or most of the working class occupiers are displaced and the whole social character of the district is changed.”

What do such character shifts look like here in L.A.? The organic market that opened in an Echo Park lot once occupied by a Save A Lot discount store? The presence of empty apartment buildings in Highland Park—old buildings whose new owners …

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The U.S.-Mexico Border Is Booming

Forget about the Asian Tigers and Benelux. The Next Economic Powerhouse Is Where the North and South Converge

Mexico is becoming a vibrant middle-class nation. Already, it is the largest trading partner of California, Texas and Arizona, and is responsible for hundreds of thousands of jobs across the …

Here Are the Biggest Reasons Why the Southwest Keeps Expanding

Phoenix and Other Cities in the Region Have Flourished, Thanks to Dams, Clean Government, and Just Plain Good Timing

In places where the average temperature climbs to 105 degrees in July, it’s easy to understand the importance of air conditioning. Was it cooler and more comfortable living that drew …

Why Does Los Angeles Keep Rewriting Its Own Script?

Finding What's Worth Preserving in a City Known for Constant Change and Flux

There’s a classic scene in the 1991 comedy L.A. Story, where “wacky weekend weatherman” Harris Telemacher, played by Steve Martin, is giving a tour around the city of Los Angeles. …

Movies’ Most Memorable Mexican-American Moments

From Stand and Deliver to Giant, These Are Hollywood's Strongest Cinematic Depictions of America’s Third Largest Ethnic Group

For better or for worse, when many Americans think about Italian-Americans, they think of The Godfather. When it comes to Irish-Americans, it’s A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. And for Chinese-Americans, …

How U.S. Colleges Can Make the Grade

Professors, Administrators, and Education Innovators Describe What an Ideal American University Would Look Like

Higher education in America could be headed for rock bottom. Tuition has continued to rise at a steady pace, and years of deep cuts in state funding have forced colleges …


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