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UC San Diego UC San Diego Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title Suburban citizenship Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/02z370bj Author Vandehey, Scott Lawrence Publication Date 2009 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO Suburban Citizenship A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology by Scott Lawrence Vandehey Committee in charge: Professor Nancy Postero, Chair Professor James Holston, Co-Chair Professor Becky Nicolaides Professor Esra Özyürek Professor Michael Schudson 2009 Copyright Scott Lawrence Vandehey, 2009 All rights reserved. The Dissertation of Scott Lawrence Vandehey is approved, and it is acceptable in quality and form for publication on microfilm and electronically: _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Co-Chair _______________________________________________________________ Chair University of California, San Diego 2009 iii For LeAnn – Without your support, this would not have been possible, and for that I am eternally grateful. To the residents of “PQ” – Thank you for allowing me to invade your space and putting up with my incessant questionings. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Signature Page……………………………………………………………. iii Dedication………………………………………………………………… iv Table of Contents…………………………………………………………. v List of Figures…………………………………………………………….. vi Acknowledgements……………………………………………………….. viii Vita……………………………………………………………………….. x Abstract of the Dissertation.……………………………………………… xi Chapter 1 Introduction…………………………………………………… 1 Chapter 2 Suburban Subjectivity………………………………………… 48 Chapter 3 Subject-Making in Rancho Peñasquitos………………………. 87 Chapter 4 The Characters of Rancho Peñasquitos………………………. 131 Chapter 5 Civic Participation in Rancho Peñasquitos……………………. 158 Chapter 6 Theorizing Suburban Citizenship……………………………… 202 Chapter 7 Citizenship in Peñasquitos…………………………………….. 242 Chapter 8 Neoliberalism and Suburban Citizenship……………………… 297 Chapter 9 Conclusion…………………………………………………….. 338 Bibliography………………………………………………………………. 352 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 The Ideal of the Villa. Alexander Pope’s villa (1720s) on the Thames, ten miles southwest of London. The suburban origins can be traced to such estates outside of the large English cities. Copyright 2009 by Guildhall Library, City of London. Used by permission of Guildhall Library, City of London…………………………………………………..………. 65 Figure 2.2 Mass home buildings follow the rail lines outside of New York City, ca. 1920. Courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs division, FSA-OWI Collection, LC-USF344-000877-2B DLC (b&w film neg.)…………………………………………….………………. 69 Figure 2.3 Suburban houses built for the working-class price range along expanding rail lines. ca. 1890. Reprinted by permission of the publisher from STREETCAR SUBURBS: THE PROCESS OF GROWTH IN BOSTON, 1870-1900, SECOND EDITION by Sam Bass Warner, Jr., pp. 57, Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, Copyright © 1962, 1978 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College……….……..…. 70 Figure 2.4 Suburban houses built for the working-class price range along expanding rail lines. ca. 1890. Reprinted by permission of the publisher from STREETCAR SUBURBS: THE PROCESS OF GROWTH IN BOSTON, 1870-1900, SECOND EDITION by Sam Bass Warner, Jr., pp. 91, Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, Copyright © 1962, 1978 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College……………………..……. 70 Figure 2.5 An 1896 advertisement for suburban homes appealing to working-class families. Note mention of access to train lines and cost and time of commute. From The Scientific American Building Edition, 26, 1898.….………………………………………………………………………..….. 71 Figure 2.6 An 1891 advertisement for a Chicago suburban development targeted at working-class households. Courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society, ICHi-03656.……………………………………………………………... 73 Figure 2.7 A 1950s advertisement for suburban homes in Tucson, Arizona. The G.I. Bill made suburban housing available for a broad range of Americans. Arizona Daily Star, June 18, 1950, p. 12A …...…………..… 75 vi Figure 2.8 Mass-suburbanization on a broad scale using assembly-line building. ca. 1954. Lakewood, California. Pacific Air Industries. 54-2548, Lakewood California, area. Long Beach, California: PAI, 1954. 4”x5” negative dated December 15, 1954. Image courtesy of the Map and Imagery Library, Davidson Library, University of California, Santa Barbara. Copyright 2009 The Regents of the University of California……………………………………………..………………………... 75 Figure 3.1 A bumper sticker displaying the symbol “PQ.”….………………...…. 91 Figure 3.2 A bumper sticker displaying the symbol “PQ.”………………………. 91 Figure 3.3 A sign lining Rancho Peñasquitos Boulevard marking the boundary of the community …………………………………….……………..….. 93 Figure 3.4 A sign lining Rancho Peñasquitos Boulevard marking the boundary of the community …………………………………………..……..……. 93 Figure 3.5 Advertisement for homes in Rancho Peñasquitos. Originally published in The San Diego Union , February 16,1969. Note cattle brand image in lower right corner. A portion of the text reads, “Just 20 minutes north of downtown San Diego on Hwy. 395.”………………..……….…………... 103 Figure 3.6 Advertisement for homes in Rancho Peñasquitos. Originally published on February, 15 th 1970 in The San Diego Union . Note the happy nuclear family in the photograph in addition to other important elements.…………………………………………………………………………… 105 Figure 3.7 Advertisement for homes in a subdivision of Rancho Peñasquitos. Originally published on June, 5 th 1972 in The San Diego Union . Note the peaceful desolation of the suburban home.………………….…… 107 Figure 3.8 Map of Los Peñasquitos Rancho. Note portion of Rancho east of Hwy. 395. Published in The San Diego Union , February 4 th 1968……..…. 110 Figure 3.9 Map of Rancho Peñasquitos neighborhood as of 1969. Note neighborhood does not pass east of Hwy. 395 and northern section of community. Published in The San Diego Union , June 29 th , 1969…………………. 110 Figure 3.10 Map of present day Rancho Peñasquitos. Note location of Carmel Mountain Road in relation to Figure 9, and lack of northern portion. Adapted from map used by Rancho Peñasquitos Planning Board.….…..... 110 Figure 3.11 Banner hung from light poles throughout Rancho Peñasquitos….... 113 vii Figure 8.1 Advertisement for homes in Rancho Peñasquitos. Originally published in The San Diego Union , January 19,1969. Note the text highlighting the new underground utilities that supposedly make living in the community both convenient and attractive……….……………….…………… 322 Figure 8.2 A home in Rancho Peñasquitos decorated for the annual neighborhood Christmas lights display. Note the painted figurines lit in the lawn (right center) and the “No Parking” sings in front of the house to ensure unobstructed viewing……………………………………………………. 333 Figure 8.3 A family in Rancho Peñasquitos has opened their driveway and garage to fellow community members during the neighborhood Christmas lights display. Tables are set up with hot chocolate, cider, and cookies….……………………………………………………..………………. 333 Figure 8.4 A home in Rancho Peñasquitos decorated for the annual neighborhood Christmas lights display. The characters from Walt Disney’s Alice in Wonderland have been painted on plywood cutouts and placed in the front lawn…………………………………………………….…. 334 viii AKNOWLEDGEMENTS There were times I thought this dissertation would be impossible to finish. Even as I write these acknowledgements the fact that the end is in sight has not yet quite sunk in. Looking back over the past few years I realize now that if it were not for a few important people, I probably never would have had the determination and will to finish. Here I would like to recognize the support, guidance, and prodding of my family, friends, and colleagues that has sustained my pursuit throughout the years. I wish to thank LeAnn Gentry first of all for her unending support and strength. She was there when I needed her and kept me moving forward, even when I felt like throwing in the towel. She never let me quit and was always there to pick me up when I was down. When I would withdraw she would pull me out. She was always there to act as a sounding board, a brainstorm partner, or a drinking buddy. In many ways this dissertation owes its existence as much to her as it does to myself. No less important is the support offered by my parents, Ken and Joanne. They were always supportive of my endeavors, even if I gave up a good paying job to go back to school. They took time to come visit when I needed it and always let me know they were there providing their quiet, unconditional encouragement. I also owe a sincere debt of gratitude to members of my dissertation committee. James Holston’s seminars on citizenship and urban anthropology provided a fundamental framework for my development as an anthropologist as did his incessant questioning of my work. Nancy Postero’s guidance gave me the direction I needed to transition from fieldwork to author. She was always there when I needed to ix talk through an idea or ask for advice. Becky Nicoliades introduced me to the history of suburban development and literature. Without her expertise this study would be lacking in many elements. Thanks to Esra Özyürek

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