Title Citizenship and Governance in a Changing City : Somerville, MA / Susan A. Ostrander

Published Philadelphia PA : Temple University Press, 2013

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Description 1 online resource (ix, 178 pages) : map Contents Introduction -- Overview of history, demographics, and politics -- Major re-development, community involvement, and shared governance -- Old and new immigrant experiences, today and yesterday -- Immigrant civic and political engagement -- Gentrification, resident displacement, and a common vision for the city's future -- Extending social citizenship, remaking city governance Summary Overcoming a past of deteriorating homes, empty storefronts, and corrupt city administrations, Somerville, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston, proudly defines itself as a longtime immigrant city, a historically blue collar town, and a hip new urban center with a progressive city government. In this book, the author shows how beneath high levels of engagement by Somerville residents lies a struggle about who should be the city's elected leaders and how they should conduct the city's affairs. It is a struggle waged between diverse residents - relatively new immigrants and a new middle class trying to gain a foothold in democratic participation, and the city's political "old guard." This book informs debates about the place of immigrants in civic and political life, and the role of voluntary associations in local politics and government. In the process, the author provides useful lessons for midsize urban communities Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages [149]-171) and index Notes English Print version record Subject Community development -- Massachusetts -- Somerville Civic improvement -- Massachusetts -- Somerville City planning -- Massachusetts -- Somerville -- Citizen participation Political participation -- Massachusetts -- Somerville Citizenship -- Massachusetts -- Somerville City planning -- Citizen participation. POLITICAL SCIENCE -- Public Policy -- City Planning & Urban Development. SOCIAL SCIENCE -- General. Citizenship City planning -- Citizen participation Civic improvement Community development Political participation Politics and government SUBJECT Somerville (Mass.) -- Politics and government Subject Massachusetts -- Somerville Form Electronic book LC no. 2012041288 ISBN 9781439910146 1439910146 9781439910122 143991012X

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