This work studies five American cities - Birmingham, Dayton, Portland (Oregon), St. Paul and San Antonio - with neighbourhood associations that have substantial authority over the decisions that affect their communities. The authors rigorously evaluate these systems with data collected from surveys of 11,000 citizens and interviews with 400 policy-makers.
Jeffrey M. Berry is John Richard Skuse Class of 1941 Professor of Political Science at Tufts University. His most recent book, The New Liberalism: The Rising Power of Citizen Groups(Brookings, 1999) won the Policy Studies Organization's 1999 best book award. Kent E. Portney is a professor of political science at Tufts University. Ken Thompson is director of the Center for Strong Democracy.
"The best book I've read on the relationship between government structures and community based systems. While presenting a tough-minded comparative review of citizen participation, The Rebirth of Urban Democracy also serves to inspire those of us who despair of government operating solely through its bureaucracies." --George Latimer, Hamline University School of Law, Former Mayor, City of St. Paul " The Rebirth of Urban Democracy addresses questions about the causes and consequences of political participation that have been rise many times during the past two hundred years or so. This book brings a mountain of evidence to bear on those questions and offers answers more substantial and well-grounded than any I have seen so far." --Matthew Crenson, Johns Hopkins University "This work offers solid evidence on something we in Dayton have long known --a system of citizen participation is a necessary ingredient for good government and is the best antidote to American's widespread alienation from politics." --Tony Capizzi, City Commissioner, Dayton, Ohio "Crime, drugs, gangs and unemployment are the concerns of neighborhoods. Homes are built and jobs are created by community development corporations. Solutions to racism, unemployment and homelessness are found in the people of the neighborhoods. The Rebirth of Urban Democracy tells of the power of citizen politics and give hoe that our cities can become centers of good values, strong economies and democracy." --James Scheibel, Mayor, City of St. Paul
"The best book I've read on the relationship between government structures and community based systems. While presenting a tough-minded comparative review of citizen participation, The Rebirth of Urban Democracy also serves to inspire those of us who despair of government operating solely through its bureaucracies." -George Latimer, Hamline University School of Law, Former Mayor, City of St. Paul |" The Rebirth of Urban Democracy addresses questions about the causes and consequences of political participation that have been rise many times during the past two hundred years or so. This book brings a mountain of evidence to bear on those questions and offers answers more substantial and well-grounded than any I have seen so far." -Matthew Crenson, Johns Hopkins University |"This work offers solid evidence on something we in Dayton have long known -a system of citizen participation is a necessary ingredient for good government and is the best antidote to American's widespread alienation from politics." -Tony Capizzi, City Commissioner, Dayton, Ohio |"Crime, drugs, gangs and unemployment are the concerns of neighborhoods. Homes are built and jobs are created by community development corporations. Solutions to racism, unemployment and homelessness are found in the people of the neighborhoods. The Rebirth of Urban Democracy tells of the power of citizen politics and give hoe that our cities can become centers of good values, strong economies and democracy." -James Scheibel, Mayor, City of St. Paul
