This article explores the mobilization of human resources by sixty-one neighborhood associations in the Seattle area. Although support is generated for hypotheses that emphasize the importance of neighborhood composition, internal polity, association incentive systems, and communications channels, ironies of human resource mobilization are discovered and explained. Specifically, both newsletters and the value of residential property promote membership and discourage participation. The negative effect of newsletters is particularly evident for representative democracies in wealthy areas.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Carroll, G. R. (1988). Ecological models of organizations. Cambridge, MA: Ballinger.
2.
Clogg, C. C., & Eliason, S. R. (1987). Some common problems in log-linear analysis. Sociological Methods and Research, 16, 8–44.
3.
Crenson, M. A. (1983). Neighborhood politics. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
4.
Davis, J. E. (1991). Contested ground: Collective action and the urban neighborhood. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
5.
Gove, W., & Costner, H. (1969). Organizing the poor: An evaluation of a strategy. Social Science Quarterly, 50, 643–656.
6.
Greer, S. (1962). The emerging city: Myth and reality. New York: Free Press.
7.
Guest, A. M., & Oropesa, R. S. (1986). Informal social ties and political activity in the metropolis. Urban Affairs Quarterly, 21, 550–574.
8.
Heckman, J. J. (1979). Sample selection bias as a specification error. Econometrica, 47, 153–160.
9.
Hunter, A. (1974). Symbolic communities. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
10.
Hunter, A., & Staggenborg, S. (1988). Local communities and organized action. In C. Milofsky (Ed.), Community organizations: Studies in resource mobilization and exchange.New YorkOxford University Press.
11.
Janowitz, M., & Street, D. (1978). Changing social order of the metropolitan area. In D. Street (Ed.), Handbook of contemporary urban life.San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
12.
Jeffres, L.W., & Dobos, J. (1984). Communication and neighborhood mobilization. Urban Affairs Quarterly, 20, 97–112.
13.
Jeffres, L. W., Dobos, J., & Sweeny, M. (1987). Communication and commitment to community. Communications Research, 14, 619–643.
14.
Kahn, S. (1991). Organizing: A guide for grassroots leaders.Rev. ed.N.P.: National Association of Social Workers.
15.
Knoke, D. (1981). Commitment and detachment in voluntary associations. American Sociological Review, 46, 141–158.
16.
Knoke, D. (1986). Associations and interest groups. In Turner, R. H., & Short, J. F., Jr. (Eds.), Annual review of sociology, vol. 12. Palo Alto, CA: Annual Reviews.
17.
Knoke, D. (1990). Organizing for collective action: The political economies of associations.New YorkAldine de Gruyter.
18.
Little, R. D., & Rubin, D. B. (1987). Statistical analysis with missing data.New YorkWiley.
19.
Logan, J. R., & Molotch, H. (1987). Urban fortunes: The political economy of place. Berkeley: University of California Press.
20.
Marx, G. (1979). External efforts to damage or facilitate social movements: Some patterns, explanations, outcomes, and complications. In Zald, M. N., & McCarthy, J. D. (Eds.), The dynamics of social movements.Cambridge, MA: Winthrop.
21.
McAdam, D., McCarthy, J. D., & Zald, M. N. (1988). Social movements. In Smelser, N. (Ed.), The handbook of sociology.Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
22.
McCarthy, J. D., Wolfson, M., Baker, D. P., & Mosakowski, E. (1988). The founding of social movement organizations: Local citizens' groups opposing drunken driving. In Carroll, G. R. (Ed.), Ecological models of organizations.Cambridge, MA: Ballinger.
23.
Milofsky, C., & Romo, F. P. (1988). The structure of funding arenas for neighborhood-based organizations. In Milofsky, C. (Ed.), Community organizations: Studies in resource mobilization and exchange.New York: Oxford University Press.
24.
Molotch, H. (1972). Managed integration: Dilemmas of doing good in the city.Berkeley: University of California Press.
25.
Molotch, H. (1979). Media and movements. In Zald, M. N., & McCarthy, J. D. (Eds.), The dynamics of social movements.Cambridge, MA: Winthrop.
26.
O'Brien, D.J. (1975). Neighborhood organization and interest group processes. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
27.
Oliver, P. (1984). If you don't do it, nobody else will: Active and token contributors to local collective action. American Sociological Review, 49, 601–610.
28.
Olsen, R J. (1980). A least squares correction for selectivity bias. Econometrica, 48, 1815–1820.
29.
Olson, M. (1965). The logic of collective action: Public goods and the theory of groups. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
30.
Oropesa, R S. (1989). The social and political foundations of effective neighborhood improvement associations. Social Science Quarterly, 70, 723–743.
31.
Rahim, M. A. (1986). Managing conflict in organizations.New YorkPraeger.
32.
Rich, R. (1980). The political economy approach to the study of neighborhood organizations. American Journal of Political Science, 24, 559–592.
33.
Rich, R. (1988). A cooperative approach to the logic of collective action: Voluntary organizations and the prisoners' dilemma. Journal of Voluntary Action Research, 17, 5–18.
34.
Smith, D. H. (1986). Outstanding local voluntary organizations in the 1960s: Their distinguishing characteristics. Journal of Voluntary Action Research, 15, 24–35.
35.
Snow, D. A., Zurcher, L. A., Jr., & Ekland-Olson, S. (1980). Social networks and social movements: A micro-structural approach to differential recruitment. American Sociological Review, 45, 787–801.
36.
Tittle, C. R. & Stafford, M. C. (1992). Urban theory, urbanism, and suburban residence. Social Forces, 70, 725–744.
37.
Tilly, C. (1978). From mobilization to revolution. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
38.
Turner, R. H. (1981). Collective behavior and resource mobilization as approaches to social movements: Issues and continuities. In Kriesberg, L. (Ed.), Research in social movements, conflict, and change, vol. 2. Greenwich. CT: JAI Press.
39.
US. Bureau of the Census. (1982). Census of population and housing, 1980: Summary tape. File 3A: Washington (Machine-Readable File). Washington, DC: Bureau of the Census.
40.
Williams, M. R (1985). Neighborhood organizations: Seeds of a new urban lye. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
41.
Wolman, H., & Goldsmith, M. (1992). Urban politics and policy: A comparative approachOxford, England: Blackwell.
42.
Yates, D., Jr. (1985). The politics of management. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
