A key conceptual cousin to community economic development is the idea of “civic infrastructure.” A recent article by University of San Diego professor Keith Pezzoli defines civic infrastructure as “formal and informal institutional as well as sociocultural means of connectivity used in knowledge–act … Read more

I recently was asked to speak to a joint meeting of town councils of four communities in Eastern North Carolina. The subject they asked me to speak about was community engagement. What I ended up spending most of my time talking about were two frames for thinking about the role of local government i … Read more

“One-Stoplight Town Seeks Just One Mayor” is the title of an article published last month in the New York Times. The quote that would send chills down the spine of anyone who cares for their small rural community is, “Nobody wants to be the mayor.” Identifying future leaders in rural areas is a very … Read more

In recent decades, levels of civic and political participation have declined dramatically. In order to supplement traditional public engagement techniques, some planners and public officials are turning to the internet. Whether it is advertising the planning process through social media or engaging … Read more