This book provides a guide to becoming an empowered citizen, capable of achieving success when advocating with local government. Based on interviews with mayors, together with documentary evidence, analyses of public meetings, and the author's own experience of advocacy, volunteering on city committees, and work on political campaigns, it describes how to advocate with local government officials, whom to contact, what to say when and where, and how to locate the facts, figures, and stories that can lend credence to an advocacy campaign. Guided by the ideas that persuasion efforts can succeed, are not difficult to undertake, and are in fact appreciated by public officials; that the system is open and that citizens have a fair chance of advancing their point of view; and that democracy depends upon citizen engagement, it presents concrete case studies in order to illustrate the guidance provided. With advice on how to organize and implement a successful advocacy campaign at a local level-and what to avoid-Persuading Local Government provides an antidote to the alienation of national politics, showing that local efforts at persuasion are meaningful and effect change on matters that affect people's everyday lives.

This book provides a guide to becoming an empowered citizen, capable of achieving success when advocating with local government. Based on interviews with mayors, together with documentary evidence, analyses of public meetings, and the author's own experience of advocacy, volunteering on city committees, and work on political campaigns, it describes how to advocate with local government officials, whom to contact, what to say when and where, and how to locate the facts, figures, and stories that can lend credence to an advocacy campaign. Guided by the ideas that persuasion efforts can succeed, are not difficult to undertake, and are in fact appreciated by public officials; that the system is open and that citizens have a fair chance of advancing their point of view; and that democracy depends upon citizen engagement, it presents concrete case studies in order to illustrate the guidance provided. With advice on how to organize and implement a successful advocacy campaign at a local level-and what to avoid-Persuading Local Government provides an antidote to the alienation of national politics, showing that local efforts at persuasion are meaningful and effect change on matters that affect people's everyday lives.

Behind the Scenes in Social Research discusses the informal, adaptive, and real-life process of doing social science research. It complements the material in standard methods texts that describe the basics-how to choose topics and ways of obtaining and analyzing data-but in doing so miss out on many of the obstacles and practicalities of doing research. Researchers may find themselves adrift when they start their research and discover that what confronts them doesn't precisely match exactly what is described in the basic textbooks, such as the obstacles that frequently occur, the logistical matters that must be handled, and the improvisations in research design and data gathering techniques that successful projects require. This book covers this material, while also paying attention to the ways in which the personal characteristics of those doing the research affect how projects are designed and data gathered. In addition, it explores the manner in which doing research affects the researchers themselves, affecting self-images, altering political or social views, or providing skills that extend beyond the research enterprise. Based on the author's own experiences and interviews with senior researchers in a variety of social science fields, Behind the Scenes in Social Research explores the practical problems that arise in undertaking a research project while showing how these problems can be overcome through perseverance and improvisation. It will therefore appeal to scholars and students across the social science with interests in research methods and the practical issues that arise during any research project.

Renewing Hope builds upon narratives provided by leaders of community-based development organizations (CBDOs) to describe how they bring about affordable, quality housing, commercial opportunities, and employment within poor areas. The book illustrates both the obstacles CBDOs face and how these obstacles are overcome, in part by leveraging resources for social change projects from foundations, government and intermediaries. Guiding the effort of the developmental activists is an organic theory that explains what can and should be accomplished. The material extends new institutionalism models of inter-organizational behavior.

Behind the Scenes in Social Research discusses the informal, adaptive, and real-life process of doing social science research. It complements the material in standard methods texts that describe the basics-how to choose topics and ways of obtaining and analyzing data-but in doing so miss out on many of the obstacles and practicalities of doing research. Researchers may find themselves adrift when they start their research and discover that what confronts them doesn't precisely match exactly what is described in the basic textbooks, such as the obstacles that frequently occur, the logistical matters that must be handled, and the improvisations in research design and data gathering techniques that successful projects require. This book covers this material, while also paying attention to the ways in which the personal characteristics of those doing the research affect how projects are designed and data gathered. In addition, it explores the manner in which doing research affects the researchers themselves, affecting self-images, altering political or social views, or providing skills that extend beyond the research enterprise. Based on the author's own experiences and interviews with senior researchers in a variety of social science fields, Behind the Scenes in Social Research explores the practical problems that arise in undertaking a research project while showing how these problems can be overcome through perseverance and improvisation. It will therefore appeal to scholars and students across the social science with interests in research methods and the practical issues that arise during any research project.

This book portrays how small, geographically dispersed, and progressive social change and social service organizations working within a coalition can influence national-level social policies. Based on extensive empirical research on two national organizations and their local affiliates, one focusing on affordable housing and the other working to protect lower-income communities, this book shows the ways in which professionally staffed organizations that coordinate coalitions come about, and describes their work to mobilize coalition members to lobby and advocate, providing information, analysis and instruction to facilitate such action and, in so doing, becoming the public voice for the social change efforts of coalitions. Advocacy for Social Change details the characteristics of these organizations that the author has labeled as focal catalytic coalition organizations and then provides numerous examples of campaigns led by them on affordable housing and economic justice; campaigns that illustrate tactics that other social change organizations can emulate. As such, it will appeal to scholars of sociology with interests in social problems, social action, political sociology, urban studies, community development and organizing while extending the literature on interest group lobbying.

This book portrays how small, geographically dispersed, and progressive social change and social service organizations working within a coalition can influence national-level social policies. Based on extensive empirical research on two national organizations and their local affiliates, one focusing on affordable housing and the other working to protect lower-income communities, this book shows the ways in which professionally staffed organizations that coordinate coalitions come about, and describes their work to mobilize coalition members to lobby and advocate, providing information, analysis and instruction to facilitate such action and, in so doing, becoming the public voice for the social change efforts of coalitions. Advocacy for Social Change details the characteristics of these organizations that the author has labeled as focal catalytic coalition organizations and then provides numerous examples of campaigns led by them on affordable housing and economic justice; campaigns that illustrate tactics that other social change organizations can emulate. As such, it will appeal to scholars of sociology with interests in social problems, social action, political sociology, urban studies, community development and organizing while extending the literature on interest group lobbying.

Using in-depth qualitative interviews, authors Herbert J. Rubin and Irene S. Rubin have researched topics ranging from community redevelopment programs to the politics of budgeting and been energized by the depth, thoroughness, and credibility of what was revealed. They describe in-depth qualitative interviewing from beginning to end, from its underlying philosophy and assumptions to project design, analysis and write up. "This book is exactly what I was looking for in that it covers interviewing and analysis in depth."-Daphne John, Oberlin College "Students leave this book fully informed of the nuances and complexity of interviewing as well as excited about the promise interview research findings offer."-Hannah Britton, University of Kansas "The authors' focus on the reflective process, question development, and procedural steps associated with qualitative research is rich and thorough."-Tracy M. Lara, Kent State University