Urban Policy Reconsidered: Dialogues on the Problems and Prospects of American Cities

First published in 2003. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Euchner, Charles C.

McGovern, Stephen J.

Reference

Routledge

In the past decade, America has experienced an urban renaissance. Cities as varied as New York, Chicago and Boston are no longer seen as ungovernable and doomed to crime and blight. However, they still face formidable problems. "Urban Policy Reconsidered" is a comprehensive overview of the issues and problems facing our cities today and cover every important issue in urban affairs. What is poverty? What is economic development? What is education? What is crime? As well as covering all of these fundamental topics in-depth, the author propose a communitarian approach to addressing the many problems of our cities. This book will be the manual for anyone interested in understanding urban policy.

American cities experienced an extraordinary surge in downtown development during the 1970s and 1980s. Pro-growth advocates in urban government and the business community believed that the construction of office buildings, hotels, convention centers, and sports complexes would generate jobs and tax revenue while revitalizing stagnant local economies. But neighborhood groups soon became disgruntled with the unanticipated costs and unfulfilled promises of rapid expansion, and grassroots opposition erupted in cities throughout the United States.Through an insightful comparison of effective protest in San Francisco and ineffective protest in Washington, D.C., Stephen McGovern examines how citizens―even those lacking financial resources―have sought to control their own urban environments. McGovern interviews nearly one hundred business activists, government officials, and business leaders, exploring the influence of political culture and individual citizens' perceptions of a particular development issue. McGovern offers a compelling explanation of why some battles against city hall succeed while so many others fail.

The Politics of Downtown Development: Dynamic Political Cultures in San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

History

Americas

University Press of Kentucky

How grassroots activism transforms contemporary urban politics in Philadelphia and beyond Immigration, gentrification, and the rise of an innovation-based economy are altering American cities. In Mobilization Politics, Stephen J. McGovern offers a new approach to analyzing contemporary urban politics in light of these broad, societal changes. Redirecting the focus from the top-down orientation of regime theory toward a more bottom-up perspective, he contends that a striking upsurge in grassroots activism around issues such as policing and criminal justice reform, precarious labor, affordable housing, community development, and workforce diversity is transforming urban politics and policymaking. Through a detailed analysis of political activity in Philadelphia over the past decade, McGovern elucidates the mechanisms and impacts of grassroots mobilization. Philadelphia is typical of many large American cities with a relatively prosperous downtown core surrounded by neighborhoods that continue to struggle, sometimes amidst grinding poverty and long-standing racial oppression. And yet, Philadelphia, as a site of substantial grassroots activism since the early 2010s, has made significant strides in combatting economic and racial inequality in several important policy realms. Mobilization Politics expands the scope of the field of urban politics beyond the quiet, behind-the-scenes bargaining of regime partners and considers other key arenas of political contestation--such as electoral politics; policymaking by the mayor, administrative agencies, and the city council; and a wide range of activist groups operating at the grassroots. The book shows how bottom-up mobilization has been especially effective when activists engaging in street protests and demonstrations have joined with more established community-based organizations and issue-advocacy groups skilled in lobbying, litigation, and electioneering. By highlighting how this combination of insider/outsider activism has been a potent force for political change in contemporary Philadelphia, Mobilization Politics presents a more comprehensive, dynamic, and revealing way to look at power and politics in American cities today.

Mobilization Politics: Governing Philadelphia in the Early Twenty-First Century

Politics & Social Sciences

Social Sciences

University of Pennsylvania Press

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Books by McGovern, Stephen J.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by McGovern, Stephen J.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Urban Policy Reconsidered: Dialogues on the Problems and Prospects of American Cities

Urban Policy Reconsidered: Dialogues on the Problems and Prospects of American Cities

The Politics of Downtown Development: Dynamic Political Cultures in San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

Mobilization Politics: Governing Philadelphia in the Early Twenty-First Century