Book dossier

Schools and Urban Revitalization

by Kelly Patterson, Robert Mark Silverman

"New research in community development shows that institutions matter. Where the private sector disinvests from the inner city, public and nonprofit institutions step in and provide engines to economic revitalization and promote greater equity in society. Schools and Urban Revitalization collects emerging research in this field, with special interest in new school-neighborhood partnerships that lead today's most vibrant policy responses to urban blight. Adapted from a recent issue of Community Development, Patterson and Silverman collect some of the emerging literature on anchor institutions like schools, universities, churches and cultural centers, and offer a new paradigm for neighbourhood revitalization, exploring its advantages and challenges. While many scholars have come to criticize the "meds and eds" model of organizing around schools and hospitals, the essays show the unique role public schools play in urban revitalization. With case studies from across the United States, including large and mid-sized cities, Schools and Urban Revitalization shows the vital role that schools play in bridging citizens to larger institutions, and more importantly, connecting disenfranchised residents to society."--