Suchergebnisse

Using a case study of Saratoga Springs, NY, and the Saratoga Springs Open Space Project (OSP), this article explores how citizen-led land preservation organizations can form coalitions with diverse interests in pursuit "qualitative growth," urban development reforms. Data come from in-depth interviews of key informants and extensive archival research. Focusing on both land preservation and downtown rehabilitation, the OSP was able to form broad coalitions of historic preservationists, downtown business interests, and developers to shift local development policy that would simultaneously promote in-fill downtown development while discouraging development at the fringe of the community. Though diverse and broad, many of the coalitions shifted, and different issues necessitated new coalition building activities. Furthermore, the continuing need to cultivate relationships with elected officials in a community of high political turnover brought challenges to the organization and the broader land management coalition. Finally, the limits of the OSP's influence were witnessed by its lack of leverage over officials in neighboring communities and the contradictory development outcomes that ensued as a result of specific Not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) decisions.

This article, by analyzing a major development initiative undertaken in upstate New York, seeks to broaden our understanding of a dominant model of economic development: industrial recruitment. Whereas prior studies have examined this model mainly within separate, individual communities, this article broadens the analysis to the regional level and examines how regional economic development organizations can help mediate local political fragmentation that can potentially undermine cross-jurisdictional economic development ventures. With this, we explore how these organizations can exploit the bonding and bridging social ties within and between communities to advance a project, the methods they employ to broaden cross-community consensus regarding a project, and how they can potentially mediate political conflict that may arise as a result of a development venture.

This article, by analyzing a major development initiative undertaken in upstate New York, seeks to broaden our understanding of a dominant model of economic development: industrial recruitment. Whereas prior studies have examined this model mainly within separate, individual communities, this article broadens the analysis to the regional level and examines how regional economic development organizations can help mediate local political fragmentation that can potentially undermine cross-jurisdictional economic development ventures. With this, we explore how these organizations can exploit the bonding and bridging social ties within and between communities to advance a project, the methods they employ to broaden cross-community consensus regarding a project, and how they can potentially mediate political conflict that may arise as a result of a development venture. Adapted from the source document.

This article, by examining the planning, development, construction, and operation of the Hiawatha light–rail transit line in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, attempts to further the understanding of coalition–building between lawmakers in urban and suburban areas, as well as those at the local, state, and federal levels, and how this cooperation affects metropolitan areas. the analysis relies on primary and secondary data from local newspapers, radio transcripts, and organization websites and materials from 1995 to 2007 to examine the political processes surrounding the project. Previous research on coalition–building strategies and regionalism informs the theoretical approach of the article. Key findings suggest that traffic congestion acts as a powerful motivator for uniting urban and suburban interests. the research also supports previous findings that big–city mayors seldom take the lead in promoting regional cooperation. in addition, findings suggest that governor–brokered coalitions can be relatively unstable, and that the possibility for receiving federal funds promotes regional cooperation along the lines of transportation issues.

The expansion of charter schools continues to be one of the most hotly debated topics in American K–12 education. Through the use of in-depth interviews, this article explores the perceptions of charter schools among middle-class African American parents in Albany, NY, who have largely chosen traditional, city public schools over city charter schools. Findings reveal that the majority of parents disliked charter schools in that they connected them with the corporate/business model of education visible in the trend toward neoliberalism. Their critiques centered on three broad categories: skepticism of their academic quality, political or philosophical objections to charter schools, and a dislike of charter schools' policies. This article concludes with limitations of the data and suggestions for future research.