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Attributes of communities have long been considered a major influence on people's self-organized governing behavior (Ostrom 2005). Does Confucianism, a widely shared set of traditional ideas, inform Chinese homeowners in governing their neighborhoods? Based on in-depth interviews with 27 homeowner association (HOA) organizers from 16 neighborhoods in Beijing, we found evidence suggesting that their governing behaviors were informed by traditional Confucian conceptual distinctions and normative expectations: Stringent expectations were found on HOA organizers to serve with purely "public" motives and renounce "private" ones; neighborhood management, meanwhile, was not merely considered as a means for improving living conditions, but a patriotic act of serving the country. Arguably, these meanings corresponded to the Confucian ideal of junzi and its guide to moral cultivation. They helped sustain homeowners' participation and promote a social norm that maintained accountability for their behaviors. The findings suggest further research on neighborhood governance, and contribute to the reforming governance of contemporary China.

Civic engagement and collaborative public management are concepts that are defined broadly, making theoretical explication challenging and practical application of empirical research difficult. In this article, the authors adopt definitions of civic engagement and collaborative public management that are centered on the citizen and the potential for active citizenship. Following a historical review of civic engagement in the United States, a conceptual model of five approaches to civic engagement is offered. Citizen‐centered collaborative public management is enhanced through these approaches. The authors suggest the need for further empirical research on collaborative public management that is grounded in citizenship action.

AbstractFollowing reforms to the city charter in 1999, the City of Los Angeles is currently implementing a city‐wide system of neighbourhood councils that is intended to increase citizen participation in local governance and make city agencies more responsive to local needs. As neighbourhood council formation has gotten underway, faith organizations (FOs) have been identified as a promising resource for mobilizing involvement among groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the governance process. This article discusses the potential value of FOs' involvement in neighbourhood councils, as well as the likely obstacles to their participation, and reports preliminary findings from ongoing field research on neighbourhood council formation in Los Angeles. Given the diversity of religious missions and attitudes toward political involvement among American faith institutions we find it difficult to generalize about the likely role of the faith community in neighbourhood councils. However, the historical focus of Christian churches on issues of social justice as opposed to local community action, as well as the relative lack of participation by FOs in neighbourhood council formation to date, suggests that widespread involvement of FOs in the neighbourhood council process may be difficult to achieve. A targeted strategy of outreach and organizing directed toward those FOs most likely to participate seems required. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An analysis of four case studies provides evidence of a unique and short-term increase of resource dependence on community organizations by outside institutions in times of emergency. Outside institutions rely on community organizations as the primary service providers, sometimes temporarily replacing traditional service channels; they also depend on the advantages these organizations offer for the distribution of their own resources. A window of opportunity results for these organizations to advocate on behalf of their clientele, establish their own policies for distribution of resources, and expand and create programs. Policy implications are discussed, as well as the possible changes in these relationships in the long run.

With faith in government waning, cultural diversity spiraling, and fiscal stress straining the ability of policy makers to address the policy challenges accompanying these developments, the salience of (re)connecting citizens with government takes on renewed urgency today. Nowhere is this more the case than in urban America, where so‐called global cities teeming with ethnic diversity and controlling a disproportionate amount of global business in the world economy confront profound citizen participation challenges, choices, and opportunities. In this installment ofTheory to Practice,the authors cull lessons from their 10‐year action theory–based assessment and participation in the city of Los Angeles' neighborhood council experience. Comparing and contrasting their findings in this global city with those from related studies on participatory mechanisms and deliberative processes more generally, they offer six lessons for those seeking to build stronger democracy in urban areas, argue that further advances require a greater research focus on the longitudinal implementation of these efforts rather than just on their design, and contend that university researchers have a role to play in these efforts as long as they appreciate the paradoxical nature of their participation.Expert e‐commentary by Brian Cook of Virginia Tech, Tina Nabatchi of Syracuse University, and John Thomas of Georgia State University on the perspectives and arguments culled from Los Angeles' theory‐based participatory efforts can be found on thePARwebsite (go to aspanet.org, click on the link toPAR,and then on theTheory to Practicelink). These e‐commentaries are accompanied by the authors' response and instructions on howPARreaders can join the exchange.