The Persistence of Neighboring as a Determinant of Community Attachment: A Community Field Perspective*

We examined the community field perspective as a complement to the linear‐development and systemic models of community attachment, wherein community attachment is defined as a social bond to the community of place. We empirically evaluated indicators of the actor's interaction within the social field, such as the perceived quality of neighboring and density of friendships, using social survey and census data from 99 communities in 1994 and 2004 and evaluated as well the percentage change in these indicators from 1994 to 2004. Results show that the community field perspective can complement previous approaches by highlighting the importance of perceived neighboring and friendship density and the persistence of perceived neighboring over time. We suggest implications for community development efforts aimed at enhancing community attachment.     

A New Multicriteria Risk Mapping Approach Based on a Multiattribute Frontier Concept

Invasive species risk maps provide broad guidance on where to allocate resources for pest monitoring and regulation, but they often present individual risk components (such as climatic suitability, host abundance, or introduction potential) as independent entities. These independent risk components are integrated using various multicriteria analysis techniques that typically require prior knowledge of the risk components’ importance. Such information is often nonexistent for many invasive pests. This study proposes a new approach for building integrated risk maps using the principle of a multiattribute efficient frontier and analyzing the partial order of elements of a risk map as distributed in multidimensional criteria space. The integrated risks are estimated as subsequent multiattribute frontiers in dimensions of individual risk criteria. We demonstrate the approach with the example of Agrilus biguttatus Fabricius, a high‐risk pest that may threaten North American oak forests in the near future. Drawing on U.S. and Canadian data, we compare the performance of the multiattribute ranking against a multicriteria linear weighted averaging technique in the presence of uncertainties, using the concept of robustness from info‐gap decision theory. The results show major geographic hotspots where the consideration of tradeoffs between multiple risk components changes integrated risk rankings. Both methods delineate similar geographical regions of high and low risks. Overall, aggregation based on a delineation of multiattribute efficient frontiers can be a useful tool to prioritize risks for anticipated invasive pests, which usually have an extremely poor prior knowledge base.     

Partisan Political Identification among White Ethnic Groups: An Historical Analysis

Abstract

This article presents evidence and argument dealing with partisan political identification among white ethnic groups. Recently, numerous political commentators and analysts have argued that the ethnic-labor component of the New Deal coalition is in the midst of collapse and decay, and that white ethnics are re-aligning with the Republican Party. Through an analysis of public opinion data gathered between 1936 and 1974, the partisan re-alignment theory is critically examined. The data show little or no support for the idea that Catholic and Jewish ethnics are identifying more closely with the Republican Party. Data show that degree of identification with the Democrats is nearly the same in 1974 as it was in 1936.     

The Phoenix Juncture: Exploring the Dimension of Hope in Psychotherapy

This paper presents an exploration of the concept of hope in clinical and developmental contexts. Traditionally, psychoanalytic theory has emphasized pathological aspects of development and, not surprisingly, the subject of hope has been neglected. Although the therapist's hope and how it impacts on the treatment is within the purview of the paper, the predominant focus is on the patient's hope and the dimension of mutuality in the treatment that fosters it. A case example is provided to illustrate the unfreezing (Winnicott, 1954) of unconscious hope in a phase of treatment I call the phoenix juncture. Connections are drawn between the capacity for reflection and hope. The paper concludes with a discussion of a view of hope as problematic or regressive, along with a selective literature review.     

Building the community school movement: vision, organization, and leadership

On a local level, creating and sustaining community schools requires leadership from local government, schools, businesses, and nonprofit organizations. These groups must provide the fuel and direction to move the community school strategy forward along a common vision and with strategic methods for financing. At the federal level, it must continue to build constituency for community schools if it is to succeed, although the community school movement has made great strides in recent years. There is not now a coherent federal framework to support the community school vision. The proposed Full Services Community Schools legislation would build a national constituency and legislate key principles advocated by the Coalition for Community Schools: developing districtwide community school strategies, focusing on results, and improving coordination of funding streams.     

Honoring,Training, and Building a Statewide Network of Elder Activists: The California Senior Leaders Program (2002–2012)

This case study explores the first decade (2002–2012) of the California Senior Leaders Program (CSLP), including participants' creation of a formal advocacy group, the California Senior Leaders Alliance. Grounded in concerns with ageism and invisibility, the CSLP provides recognition and support for diverse California elders engaged in community building and social justice work. This study employs qualitative analysis of data from participant interviews, event evaluations, program documents, video footage, and participant observation. Findings show emotional, learning, and networking benefits for participants, intergenerational influences, collective capacity and coalition building, and contributions to policy. Program challenges are described, and future directions discussed.