A pervasive anti-statism often blinds us to the democratic victories in the past and thus to possibilities in our future. This article argues that big government can democratize society and uses historical investigation to make the point. The study of history emancipates us from the tyranny of the present. Progressive social change has come about…

Discusses the value of a state rural policy center and identifies seven policy program areas. Presents the role of community development practitioners in contributing to the development of rural policy initiatives and implications for initiative development. (JOW)

This paper examines questions concerning political and social change in communities and its implications for educational administration. Issues that underlie these questions include the distinction between internal and external changes, and the tension among representativeness, technical competence, and leadership. Evolutionary patterns in…

Outlines a practical application of Dillman's "synchronized survey model" within a community case study context. Presents step-by-step approach to integrating preference survey data with other data sources in development of a comprehensive land use plan. Considers problems and trade-offs of fitting a research process into practical…

"New Times"--a term recognizing recent qualitative, incremental changes in the world--present an opportunity for community education to become more central to the debate about education, the social order, and social change. The fundamental challenge is forging the politics of cultures into a coherent political culture. (SK)

This report presents the findings and recommendations of the Governor's Commission on Higher Education for the Portland Metropolitan area. The Commission found that Portland needs educated citizens, that Portland's postsecondary education facilities are deficient particularly in systematic coordination, and that area strengths provide an…

Over two decades Quebec's local health and social service centers have evolved a philosophy integrating community development into their programs. Community workers still experience marginalization, but they are striving to be recognized as members of multidisciplinary problem-solving teams. (SK)

Examines public policy needs with respect to Cuban and Haitian refugees in Miami. Refugees' distinct socioeconomic and cultural characteristics must be taken into account. The transition communities of "Little Haiti" and "Little Havana" require health and human services as external supports, but more crucially, they need strong…

Discusses the political conditions that have caused the federal government's waning interest in developing constructive urban policies, particularly since the 1994 elections. The author suggests four steps needed to be taken by urban advocates who wish to advance the cause of large cities and help strengthen the nation's metropolitan regions. (GR)

Empowering grassroots efforts in literacy is paramount in the literacy education movement. Six issues face literacy work, research, and policy in the United States today: (1) although there are many exciting and innovative literacy projects being conducted, their lessons are unexamined and they are not part of a larger organizing strategy; (2)…

This paper discusses the use of gender analysis to ensure that economic development policy has equitable consequences for women and men, and describes the role of nonprofit community organizations in promoting such analysis. Gender analysis assumes that role differences between men and women are socially defined and therefore open to change.…

There are clear signs that community learning is the way to a more sustainable future for Australian communities, especially rural ones. There are also indications that policymakers now recognize that the people who live in communities should play an important role in determining the future of their own communities. Policy must use the best…

This paper lays out a rationale for building local rural development policies that focus on potential strengths of school-community relationships, while empowering local citizens. Rural communities and their schools are caught up in trends that complicate policy at all levels. These trends include changes related to national and global economic…

An analysis of community development in British state policy during the post-war period identifies these four discourses of citizenship implicit within successive phases of policy development: social democracy and the problem of the inactive citizen; structuralist critique and the problem of citizen action; marketization and the problem of citizen…

A policy statement on 1989 public policy agenda by the Council of State Representatives of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) is presented. Eight issues were examined, with three being the primary areas for emphasis. They are: (1) educational opportunity and achievement (with such directives as advocating federal…