CREATING NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY THROUGH CITIZEN ACTIVISM

While the importance of the neighborhood as a nexus of social life has declined in recent decades, the neighborhood itself has achieved new distinction as the territorial basis for a growing citizen activism movement. In the absence of any competing consensus, neighborhood activists assume a certain measure of power to define what the neighborhood and its interests are, and may take an active role in manipulating the neighborhood's identity in order to justify their authority as neighborhood representatives. This case study of one neighborhood examines the role of the local organization in creating a sense of identity among neighborhood residents. The representation of neighborhood interests is assessed through an examination of policies and programs implemented by the organization. Discrepancies between neighborhood activists and nonactive residents are noted in a comparison of survey data that measure several dimensions of neighborhood identity. It is concluded that the neighborhood exists as a community of limited liability, with only a small, active minority of residents sharing a common sense of the neighborhood as a place.