Community involvement too often becomes a patronising, paternalistic process designed and delivered by professionals to control rather than enable and empower. What alternatives are there? Pat Thomson argues that within the international radical tradition we have some important answers and urges us to draw once again on the work of people like…

This paper examines the development of the concept of the "public" and the "people" in U.S. society. Community problem-solving is an art, and like the art of dance or the game of soccer, the dispositions and skills of communal life are learned by doing and reflecting on what has been done. This essay discusses the "arts" of democracy, including:…

Provides the personal narratives of three Rosebud Sioux tribal leaders: Geraldine Ancoren, a mother of 7 who has worked for the tribe in various departments for 16 years; Ned Metcalf, who organized several development projects for his extended family; and Duane Hollow Horn Bear, a Lakota Studies instructor at Sinte Gleska University and member of…

Discusses the effects of the recent proliferation of casinos on Native American reservations. Suggests that supporters feel that the economic prosperity and availability of jobs associated with the casinos are crucial for providing for the needs of the reservation's residents, whereas opponents fear an increase in serious gambling addictions. (MAB)