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A Tale of Two Communities: Exploring Social Capital in Cincinnati's Madisonville and Oakley Neighborhoods

Smith, Thomas A.

Abstract Details

2009, MCP, University of Cincinnati, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Community Planning.
In recent years, scholars have begun investigating the value that social ties and networks may have in neighborhoods through the concept of social capital. Social capital within a neighborhood refers to the community’s networks of trust and reciprocity, its ability to mobilize residents around a particular issue or project, and its aptitude for creating successful, active community-based organizations. This study compares selected aspects of social capital present in Cincinnati’s Madisonville and Oakley neighborhoods — two similarly situated, yet physically and socioeconomically dissimilar communities — to determine whether Oakley, a revitalized community, tends to demonstrate a higher level of social capital than Madisonville, a community presently lacking growth and stability.

Based upon the study findings, Oakley tends to exhibit a higher level of community social capital than Madisonville in most aspects. This claim is based three emergent themes drawn from interviews with community leaders: 1.) prominence of place, the value of maintaining a distinct neighborhood identity and promoting a socially-conducive community environment; 2.) elusiveness of engagement, the desire to connect and involve residents in neighborhood matters, but the difficulty that community groups face in achieving the goal; and 3.) clout from consensus, the need for tight organization and a common vision to most effectively represent neighborhood interests.

Mahyar Arefi, PhD (Committee Chair)
Margaret Wuerstle, MCP (Committee Member)
115 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Smith, T. A. (2009). A Tale of Two Communities: Exploring Social Capital in Cincinnati's Madisonville and Oakley Neighborhoods [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1258491282

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Smith, Thomas. A Tale of Two Communities: Exploring Social Capital in Cincinnati's Madisonville and Oakley Neighborhoods. 2009. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1258491282.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Smith, Thomas. "A Tale of Two Communities: Exploring Social Capital in Cincinnati's Madisonville and Oakley Neighborhoods." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1258491282

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)