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Publications Catalogue
Position Papers -- Community
For position papers on other topics, please click below:
Education Family Public Health Security in a Post-9/11 World
Restorative Justice, Earned
Redemption, and A Communitarian Response to Crime--
Restorative Justice is a three-dimensional collaborative process,
involving the victim of a crime, the community, and the offender. Gordon
Bazemore of Florida Atlantic University outlines this process, as well as
the systemic shift of the criminal justice system that will be necessary
to implement it. Bazemore explains that because crime results from a
breakdown in the social bonds between individuals and communities,
citizens and community groups must be involved in the response to crime.
The Monochrome Society (The Limits of
Diversity)--Demographers and social scientsits predict that
the white majority in the United States will no longer exist by the year
2050. This prediction has sparked a national debate over this change
with many celebrating the end of the white majority while others fear
the negative consequences. Amitai Etzioni claims that these views
miss the larger picture because they assume that people's racial
attributes determine their visions, values, and votes. Using several
findings, Etzioni shows that most Americans of all races and ethnic
groups embrace America's culture and core values. Current trends in
attitudes reflecting increases in the proportion of the non-white
population further support the thesis that while American society may
well change, whites and non-whites will largely change together.
Community and the Corner Store--Alan
Ehrenhalt examines signifcant changes in commercial and cultural
life in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He explores the benefits of 1990s
economy, as well as the cultural sacrifices - "erosion of custom,
of predictability, of patterns of conduct that [are] known...as
community" - the new economic structure entails.
The Case for Domestic
Disarmament--Gun-related injury is the fourth leading cause of
death among children. What we need is domestic disarmament. How this may
be done is the subject of this position paper. Legal issues arising from
the Second Amendment are also covered. Prepared by staff.
The Community of Communities--
"We came in on different ships, but we now ride in the same
boat."--Endorsed by respected national leaders like Barbara Jordan,
Rudolfo Alvarez, James P. Comer, Clair Gaudiani, Jennifer Howse, Leonard
Kravitz, Sylvia Peters, and Dennis Wrong, this communitarian position
paper addresses the age-old American dilemma of diversity in a new
way--neither as a melting pot or a rainbow, but a mosaic where many
distinct elements combine to form a cohesive picture. Prepared by Amitai
Etzioni.
Public Access: Hyde Park and Community Channel--Is public
access worth preserving? The question is particularly important for public
officials, many of whom will be deciding whether to maintain or establish
public access requirements as existing cable franchises come up for
renewal. The question is also important for community groups, because
public officials are less likely to require an operator to privide public
access unless community groups demand it. This paper is aimed primarily at
these individuals and groups. Secondarily, it is directed to public
officials who are debating whether public access should be protected.
The Intergenerational Covenant: Rights and Responsibilities--Strong communities begin with raising strong and supportive families, but they do not end there. Basing their arguments on the basic Communitarian philosophy of balancing individual rights with responsibilities, Amitai Etzioni and Laura Brodbeck note that it is essential to recognize and honor the commitments of every society to its senior citizens. Rather than allowing communities to divide themselves along intergenerational fault lines, it is essential that citizens work together to ensure that a covenant of collective responsibilities is honored.
The High-Rise Village; Public Housing Creates A Community in Harlem--Morningside Gardens is not your average governments housing project. This close knit Harlem community includes a strong public safety program, racial diversity, and grass roots decision making – attributes the community says could promote a healthy atmosphere in other public housing communities. Can the success of one housing project be replicated elsewhere? By Michael D’Antonio.
Neighbors as Peacemakers: San Francisco’s Community Boards--David L. Kirp and Elliot Marseille examine the efficiency and benefit of volunteer based community mediation (in which neighbors help neighbors settle disputes without having to take the conflict to the formal legal system), while criticizing government-sponsored mediation that is directly linked to the courts and police. Asserting that citizens are more than capable of settling their own conflicts, Kirp and Marseille survey the genuine autonomy created by volunteer community mediation.
A New Song: Healing Racism and Building Community in Baltimore--Human relationships, asserts Michael D’Antonio, is where community rehabilitation projects begin and end. This case study looks at the roots and fruit of a project inspired by a national movement, known as Christian Community Development, to rebuild community and to bring about interracial healing.
The Takoma Orange Hats: Fighting Drugs and Building Community in Washington D.C.--For the Takoma Orange Hats, a neighborhood is more than yards and houses. That is precisely why this coalition of more than 200 neighbors patrol the streets, keeping a sharp eye out for drug dealers and prostitutes. Suzanne Goldsmith studies the success of this community’s active approach to saving their neighborhood.
The Challenges of Voluntarism: The Family Matters Project in Houston--Has voluntarism ignored the potential of family volunteering? While most volunteering focuses on individuals, the Family Matters Project in Houston strives to bring together family units in an effort to help their communities while enhancing kin values. By Suzanne Goldsmith.
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