The concept of Southern Theory is a response to Northern sociological theory, which is considered to be incomplete because it does not consider global dynamics, which would include the life-experiences of people of the South and the impact of socio-cultural changes brought about by colonialism and globalization. Raewyn Connell introduced the term…

Early childhood programs, if designed correctly, pay big economic dividends down the road because they increase the skills of their participants. And since many of those participants will remain in the same state or local area as adults, the local economy benefits: more persons with better skills attract business, which provides more and better…

Over the last decades, the ways in which children experience and understand their worlds have radically altered. In still-recent times, children were part of communities; they played in wild places and had unsupervised experiences. Today, the lives of children are increasingly fragmented, solitary, and removed from a sense of place. Children come…

Describes activities developed by the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University and the Illinois State Library to prepare librarians for a new role in local economic development. Discusses results of a survey on library support for community development in terms of services and business materials collections. (AEF)

Kake Tribal Corporation's purchase of a seafood cold storage facility in southeast Alaska is an example of the growing economic clout of Alaska's tribal corporations. However, many claim that the pro-development forces of corporations are weakening the subsistence economy and culture of Alaska Natives. Conflicts involve Native hunting and fishing…

In 1979, the Learning Enrichment Foundation was established with assistance from the York Board of Education, as a not-for-profit community development corporation devoted to the promotion of multicultural arts enrichment, the provision of child care services, and mounting employment-training schemes, particularly for youth. The group's…

Provides a concise overview on export-based, free zone development in the Dominican Republic by examining its influence on three spatial levels: national, regional, and town. Although industrial free zones contribute to job creation and foreign exchange earnings, local authorities are often unable to control urban development. (MJP)

The Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI) provides funds and technical assistance to targeted community colleges in an effort to improve educational access and foster economic development in distressed rural areas of the United States. This project brief describes RCCI's attempts to increase access by implementing an approach more holistic…

Interviews conducted in Kentucky's Fifth Congressional District sought answers for improving educational quality in the district, which has the highest dropout rate, the lowest holding power, and the lowest standardized test scores in Kentucky. Members of the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development interviewed 155 people from 15 of…