The New Curiosity Shop

When people hear about the California Dream, images of palm trees, beaches, movie stars and a sun-drenched landscape automatically come to mind. If you visit California, you will discover that this mythology rings true; you can get a glimpse a movie star, you’ll find that the weather is great, and that much of the landscape is just beautiful. Historian James Rawls states “… that there are as many versions of the California Dream as there are dreamers…”

In this course, we’ll explore why people from all over the world have been lured by California’s seductive call to pursue their dreams. We’ll examine the contributions that specific groups have made to this state and we’ll also address the obstacles that these groups have faced to attain their dreams.

Outline

1. Examine the lure of California.

2. The California Gold Rush.

3. The Chinese influx.

4. Immigration in California’s Central Valley.

5. California’s dark side.

6. The Mexican immigrant in pursuit of the California Dream.

Who should take this course?

Anyone interested in understanding the complexities behind the creation of modern California.

You will need

There are materials and resources online, but you will be expected to buy the book “California Dreams and Realities: Readings for Critical Thinkers and Writers” (3rd edition) by Sonia Maasik.

Entry Requirements

There are no formal entry requirements for this course.

How long is this course?

About 30 hours, and we suggest you set aside about 4 hours a week - but it's up to you. You will have tutor support for 4 months. You will have access to your course for a year.

Your tutor

Your tutor for this course is Trudi Mullerworth. You can find out more about on the Tutors page.

Further information

Do you have any further questions? Visit our Contact Us page and ask away.