Description
Book SynopsisParticipation, Community, and Public Policy in a Virginia Suburb: Of Our Own Making challenges the conventional wisdom that we can diagnose the vitality of modern American communities using just the few participation trends routinely tracked in social research, such as voting or volunteering. Through the story of Pimmit Hills, Virginia, author Patricia Donahue shows that a community is really the sum of numerous types of participation, and that analyzing a greater variety of activities can help us better understand any community. Pimmit Hills was one of the first federally-financed subdivisions built for World War II veterans, and the residents' stories will be familiar to the millions who grew up in middle-class suburbs. At the same time, its proximity to Washington, D.C., gave these residents front-row seats toand sometimes supporting roles inthe launch of national policies that continue to shape America today.
Trade ReviewParticipation, Community, and Public Policy in a Virginia Suburb takes the reader on a captivating journey through more than sixty years of local engagement within a suburban community on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. In deceptively clear and engaging prose, Donahue applies an original, theoretical lens to illuminate the relationship between community participation and policy. Her powerful approach is destined to be taken up by researchers across the globe. -- Rob Stones, Western Sydney University, Australia
Patricia Donahue tells the story of Pimmit Hills, a suburban neighborhood established in 1950 in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia, through the lens of formal, informal, positive, negative, direct, indirect, individual, and group participation, along with nonparticipation, over almost seven decades. She takes the reader by the hand, walks through the neighborhood, looks over neighbors’ shoulders, thus allowing a close look at this vibrant community. A vital read for urban and suburban community sociologists, historians, and planners. -- Katrin B. Anacker, George Mason’s Schar School of Policy and Government
Donahue has produced a richly detailed book that depicts the growth of America in microcosm. Her book reflects the development of many American suburbs and the policies that shaped them. It is a wonderful contribution to our understanding of American community development and an essential read for the study of public policy. -- Michael Fauntroy, Howard University
Table of ContentsChapter 1: All Types of Participation Shape a Community Chapter 2: Frontier Days in Suburbia: Building Houses, then Creating a Community Chapter 3: Pushing a String: The Quest for Basic Public Services Chapter 4: Making a Difference: Individuals Influencing Events Chapter 5: Making Your Own Fun: Marooned Suburbanites Create a Local Social Life Chapter 6: This Just In. . . .: Creating a Community Information Network 153 Chapter 7: Silent Majority and Civil Rights: Evolving Views of “Them” and “Us” Chapter 8: Love Thy Neighbor? Chapter 9: We, the Community: The Many Lives of a Civic Association Chapter 10: The Changing Landscape Chapter 11: Exploring Participation for Insight into Community
