Associational Life: Democracy's Power Source

AS MORE AND MORE AMERICANS decry the state of affairs in their communities and in the nation, John McKnight reminds us that the ability to change things for the better lies in ourselves and our neighbors. Long an evangelist for the power of citizen associations, he makes the case that these local groups embody the means for individuals to get things done as well as the glue that holds communities together. His cogent and grounded observations of how citizen associations are formed, how they function to produce public goods, and how they relate to government and other institutions, make this a handbook intended to inspire a new generation of organizers and community- based practitioners. About the Kettering Foundation The Kettering Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit operating foundation rooted in the American tradition of cooperative research. Kettering's primary research question is: What does it take to make democracy work as it should? Kettering's research is distinctive because it is conducted from the perspective of citizens and focuses on what people can do collectively to address problems affecting their lives, their communities, and their nation. For more information about Kettering research and publications, see the Kettering Foundation's website at www.kettering.org.