Making Sense of Place Film Series A documentary film and educational outreach project launched by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
Phoenix: The Urban Desert
About the Film
About the Film's Themes
Lessons for Middle and High School Classrooms
Maps
Current Viewing Opportunities and Related Events
Community Outreach
Internet Resources
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The film series, a collaboration of the Lincoln Institute and Northern Light Productions, is airing on public television stations across the country. For a list of dates and times, click here.
Making Sense of Place – Phoenix: The Urban Desert
FAQ
What is the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy?What is the Lincoln Foundation?
Why was the film made?
What do you hope to achieve with the film?
When was the film made?
Will there be a follow-up film?
What is your agenda?
To whom are you showing the film?
Are you showing the film in academic settings?
Will the film be shown to the legislature, the governor etc.?
There are important issues in the Phoenix metro area that the film did not cover (such as agricultural preservation). Why?
What about water issues regarding non-Colorado River resources?
What is the Lincoln Institute doing locally to help people make collective decisions?
What can the public do to impact growth and change?
Q: What is the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy?
A: A leading resource for policy makers and practitioners, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy addresses issues involving the use, regulation, and taxation of land. The Lincoln Institute seeks to improve the dialogue about urban development, the built environment, and tax policy in the United States and abroad. Through research, training, conferences, demonstration projects, publications, and multimedia, the Lincoln Institute provides the highest quality, nonpartisan analysis and evaluation for today's regulatory, planning, and policy decisions. The Institute was established in 1974 by the board of directors of the Lincoln Foundation, which had been founded in Phoenix in 1946 by John C. Lincoln, an industrialist originally from Cleveland. Lincoln became interested in land policy through the ideas expressed by Henry George, author of Progress and Poverty (1879). Today, the Institute has become a leading international research organization—facilitating analysis and discussion of land use and taxation issues. The Institute brings together scholars, practitioners, public officials, policy advisers, journalists, and involved citizens to share information and improve the quality of public debate. The Lincoln Institute is organized into three major areas: Planning and Urban Form, Valuation and Taxation, and International Studies, with a special emphasis on Latin America and China.
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Q: Why was the film made?
A: Historically, through a variety of educational offerings, the Lincoln Institute has primarily targeted policy makers. Yet, the Institute recognizes that the issues it studies affect us all as citizens of a rapidly changing world. Making Sense of Place is a first effort to reach a broader constituency of interested individuals.
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Q: What do you hope to achieve with the film?
A: We hope that the film will serve as a catalyst for discussion about the complex and sometimes contradictory issues that face cities - and the areas that surround them - as they move into the twenty-first century. While a primary goal was to provide the citizens of Arizona a vehicle for their discussions of these important issues, we believe that these topics are of similar concern to many other metro areas and hope that the film will inspire dialogue across the United States.
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Q: When was the film made?
A: Phoenix: The Urban Desert was shot on location between September 2001 and April 2002. The film includes both original photography by Northern Light Productions and rich historical and archival footage. The producers conducted in-depth interviews with citizens who live and work in the region, local officials, and experts in land use and urban planning.
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Q: Will there be a follow-up film?
A: Making Sense of Place – Phoenix: The Urban Desert was intended to spark interest and discussion about the issues that face the Valley as it continues to grow and change. As with most complex issues, there are no prescribed solutions. What works in one place may not necessarily work in the next. For that reason, there will not be a follow-up film about Phoenix. It is our hope that this film will inspire individuals to take active roles in shaping their own communities by finding the solutions that make sense for their place.
Northern Light Productions and the Lincoln Institute, however, hope to continue exploring the diversity of topics that face urban centers today. If funding can be secured, there will be a second film that tells the story of Cleveland, Ohio. A third film that focuses on an international city is also being considered.
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Q: What is your agenda?
A: The film had no specific agenda. We wished only to offer it as an educational and thought-provoking tool for communities to use as they engage in discussion about the obstacles they have overcome and those they will face in the future.
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Q: To whom are you showing the film?
A: The film is being shown to a diverse national audience. Locally, the audience includes interested citizens, community organizations, civic groups, and city, county and state agencies.
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Q: Are you showing the film in academic settings?
A: The film is currently being shown in select departments and programs at Arizona State University. It will also be available to middle schools, high schools and community colleges statewide.
Q: Will the film be shown to the legislature, the governor etc.?
A: Yes, the film has and will continue to be shown to state and local legislature. It is also being made available to other governmental officials who are in the position to shape policy on these important issues.
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Q: There are important issues in the Phoenix metro area that the film did not cover (such as agricultural preservation). Why?
A: Making Sense of Place is told through the voices of the metro area's diverse citizens. While there are some topics that were left out of film and others that could have been explored in greater detail, the producers chose to focus on those issues that were consistently raised by a wide cross section of interviewees. If you are interested in exploring issues such as agricultural preservation in more depth please visit our Conservation/Natural Resources/Open Space page.
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Q: What about water issues regarding non-Colorado River resources?
A: The film attempted to show what a critical role water plays in the Valley's development. The Colorado River is certainly not the metro area's only supply of water but since it is a primary resource, we thought it would provide a solid basis for the discussion of a much larger issue. A more comprehensive look at water issues would certainly address the importance of resource management. If you are interested in learning more about this topic, please visit our Water Resources and Ecology page.
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Q: What is the Lincoln Institute doing locally to help people make collective decisions?
A: The film is just a first step in increasing people's awareness of the issues that face the Phoenix metro area. As part of its outreach program, The Lincoln Institute is collaborating with a variety of community organizations, civic groups and other institutions to create a better understanding of the planning process. Through an array of conferences, lectures and programs the Lincoln Institute and its partners seek to further the discussion on how to better plan and design for the Valley's future.
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Q: What can the public do to impact growth and change?
A: Educate yourself about land use and preservation issues by reading more about the topics that interest you and by attending public meetings. Identify the people and organizations in your city that have influence over decisions that affect how land is used. Become involved in your community by volunteering with organizations that focus on those issues that concern you most. You can find a comprehensive list of people and organizations in the Phoenix metro area by exploring the Internet Resources section of our website.
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