A Case Study in Organizing for Livable and Sustainable Communities

Jerry Marx and Alison Rataj
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Jerry Marx: Department of Social Work, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
Alison Rataj: Department of Social Work, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA

Social Sciences, 2015, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Citizens in the U.S. are making organized efforts to demand a new approach to planning urban communities, one that results in more sustainable and livable communities. The profession of social work in the U.S. once had a primary role in organizing urban residents to advocate for healthier environments in their neighborhoods. Yet, recent research documents the diminishing emphasis on community organization as an intervention method in social work. This paper offers a descriptive case study of a successful community organizing effort to promote a more livable city in Portland, Maine (USA). Data was collected by the authors using in-depth personal interviews; archival records (census data, architect models); documents (e-mails, newspaper clippings) as well as direct observation of the impacted community and development site. Implications for social work practitioners and educators involved in community organization promoting healthy communities are presented.

Keywords: community organization; social work; sustainable community development; livable communities; digital advocacy; urban planning theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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