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Overview
Through an insightful comparison of effective protest in San Francisco and ineffective protest in Washington, D.C., Stephen McGovern examines how citizens -- even those lacking financial resources -- have sought to control their own urban environments. McGovern interviews nearly one hundred business activists, government officials, and business leaders, exploring the influence of political culture and individual citizens' perceptions of a particular development issue. McGovern offers a compelling explanation of why some battles against city hall succeed while so many others fail.
Editorials
From the Publisher
"Very clearly written and is full of interesting and compelling details. It is an important addition to the study of American urban politics and its mechanism of change." -- American Journal of Sociology
"Provides the analytical approach that may enable us to better understand urban progressivism across urban America." -- American Planning Association Journal
"Evinces the potential of a pathbreaking work that will inform research on the politics of planning in American cities for years to come." -- APA Journal
"To the long list of scholarly analyses of urban development, McGovern adds a major contribution.... McGovern's analysis of urban political culture offers a useful paradigm from analyzing other cities' economic development policies." -- Choice
"Tells a story in which the citizens affected by downtown development can force changes in land-use policy, and do so in a way that ensures the benefits of growth are shared equitably and capital does not grow wings and fly away." -- Journal of American Culture
"McGovern's excellent book fills an important gap in the literature on urban redevelopment." -- Susan S. Fainstein
"A lively and useful discussion of the different strategies employed in remaking two of America's downtowns." -- Washington History