Neighborhood Games as a Community-Building Strategy

This paper discusses the use of neighborhood games and contests as an alternative approach to community building, and as a complement to traditional issue or interest organizing. It places these activities within the broader contexts of celebration and festivity, noting the relative lack of such eve...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of community practice 2003-06, Vol.11 (3), p.35-53
Main Author: Berkowitz, Bill
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Celebrations
community building
Community Development
community organization
Community work
Contests
Games
Massachusetts
Neighborhoods
Neighbourhoods
USA
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Summary:This paper discusses the use of neighborhood games and contests as an alternative approach to community building, and as a complement to traditional issue or interest organizing. It places these activities within the broader contexts of celebration and festivity, noting the relative lack of such events within modern American secular culture. The planning, implementation, and results of two neighborhood-wide games and contests are then described, as carried out in a representative suburban neighborhood. Though full and accurate evaluation is challenging, the community-building promise of these activities is documented. The prospects for future development and use of similar community events are then considered.
ISSN:1070-5422
1543-3706
DOI:10.1300/J125v11n03_03