In an era of increasing complexity, the majority of local land-use decisions in the United States are made by volunteer citizen planners. Often these elected or appointed volunteers enter their positions with a passion for their communities but without appropriate background training. The Michigan Citizen Planner Program was developed to address…

Tim Clydesdale is professor of sociology at the College of New Jersey. This article is adapted from the author's forthcoming book "Calling on Purpose: The Conversation Every Campus Must Have with Students" (University of Chicago Press, 2015). Clydesdale met two students, James and Tracy, during their senior year of college, when his…

In 2009 AONTAS commissioned a piece of research to examine the outcomes and impact of community education in relation to the three aims that the Government has defined for it: enhancing learning; fostering empowerment, and contributing to civic society. In part, the research also responds to a need to measure the wider benefits of learning (such…

Identifies three stages in Black community development: education, planning, and implementation. Reports on a study which explored Black citizen involvement in each stage. Found participation in planning and implementation to be positively influenced by household income and occupation, though education (sense of community) was negatively related…

Two problem identification surveys conducted to support Extension Community and Resource Development programs in South Carolina's rural Williamsburg County focused on some implications for citizen involvement in public decision making, specifically in rural community development. A 1975 survey of 41 leaders and 1976 citizen survey of 214 rural…

A survey of rural-to-urban migrants in Nigeria found that 58.2 percent contributed financially to community development projects in their areas of origin. Concludes that rural out-migration is encouraged by rural inhabitants to combat poverty and suggests government policies to encourage further migrant involvement. (FMW)