McClymonds, Daniel
(2018)
When Garden Clubs Revitalize Neighborhoods: Social Dislocations and Civic Repertoires.
Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
Researchers have identified a sea change in civic organizing in the US over last 60 years. Since the mid-20th century, an older model of civic organizing has steadily given way to a new one. Researchers ask: how have changing economic conditions driven this civic sea change? Recent answers emphasize the role of labor markets and their control over which segments of the population have the will and ability to participate in civic organizations. As those segments become smaller and more educated, they favor the more professionally run, new model of organizations. By contrast, I contend that market-driven social dislocations have inspired organizations to develop new civic repertoires. To develop these new repertoires, they have relied on the new model of civic organizing. To test these hypotheses, I use comparative historical analysis to examine a case of neighborhood decline in Pittsburgh’s Central North Side between late 1960s and early 2000s. Two civic endeavors emerged to revitalize the neighborhood, and while one thrived the other struggled. My study asks whether we can better explain these organizations’ different outcomes by considering the number and social background of available participants or by considering the effectiveness of different civic repertoires. My study finds strong support for my hypothesis that market-driven social dislocations have inspired organizations to develop new civic repertoires, and it also finds partial support but also partial complications for the rival hypothesis.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
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| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
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| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
13 June 2018 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
19 February 2018 |
| Approval Date: |
13 June 2018 |
| Submission Date: |
20 April 2018 |
| Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
| Number of Pages: |
35 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences > Sociology |
| Degree: |
MA - Master of Arts |
| Thesis Type: |
Master's Thesis |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Civic Engagement |
| Date Deposited: |
13 Jun 2018 19:41 |
| Last Modified: |
13 Jun 2018 19:41 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/34364 |
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