Daily Activities

Daily Activities

Sunday afternoon—Welcome to the Institute

Monday—Prelude to the Sunbelt: World War II Production

How and why did the aerospace industry & suburbia develop in Southern California?

Monday provides context for the rest of the week by considering the origins of the aerospace industry in the period before the Cold War. In particular, discussions and readings emphasize the ways that World War II consolidated the importance of the region for the design, building, testing of aircraft and allied industries.

 

Tuesday—The Aerospace Industry: The Structure of Production

What were the causes & consequences of the revival of the aerospace industry in the Cold War?

The morning begins by consolidating the previous afternoon’s discussion of women factory workers through an introduction to the Rosie the Riveter Revisited oral history archive. The remainder of the day will focus on the postwar revival of the aerospace industry.

Wednesday—Working in the Aerospace Industry

How did the growing diversity of Southern California influence management and workforce experiences in the aerospace industry?

Wednesday focuses on the personal experiences of a range of individuals and groups who worked in the aerospace industry.

Thursday—Popular Culture in the Space Age

How did the aerospace industry shape American popular culture, particularly the film industry?

Thursday’s schedule focuses on the impact of the ubiquitous aerospace industry on the popular culture of Southern California, including on Hollywood, as well as the ways the Cold War has been remembered in popular memory.

 

Friday—Living in Cold War California

How was life in California shaped by the aerospace industry?

After considering ways the aerospace industry helped to stoke the imagination of the purveyors and viewers of popular culture, the week concludes with an examination of the image and reality of suburbia, a prominent element of Cold War Sunbelt perceptions.