Abstract
An area of ongoing debate is whether neighborhood organizations contribute to civic governance by enabling citizen influence in government, mobilizing constituents, and improving policy outcomes through localized knowledge, community organizing, and civic engagement. This article presents the findings of a study to understand the roles and contributions of neighborhood organizations in civic governance. The research design consisted of an exploratory and qualitative case study of individual interviews with 46 board presidents who described the roles of their neighborhood organizations within communities, in relationship to a city, and whether, and to what extent, they contributed to civic governance. Study participants characterized their neighborhood organizations’ roles according to three core themes: developing community and improving the neighborhood, educating and engaging citizens, and representing and advocating for the neighborhood. The findings reveal significant resource limitations that constrain civic engagement and participation capacities. Thus, as a result of the findings, I contend that there are several opportunities to strengthen their roles and contributions in civic governance.
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Mathews, M.A. Understanding the Roles and Contributions of Neighborhood Organizations in Civic Governance. Voluntas 32, 821–829 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-021-00369-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-021-00369-z