The effect of ethnicity on community activeness in Iowa farming communities with people of German or English background was studied. Little support was found for the hypothesis that communities with a larger percentage of German ancestry would tend toward more collective action. (SK)

The University of Nebraska's School at the Center works with people in rural communities who are trying to reconcile two worlds: the first representing historical tradition and the second representing future globalization. Reconciling these worlds is about renewing vows of responsibility to individuals who have gone before and who are yet to be.…

Analyzes Chicano murals in Chicago to illustrate how visual images engage communal development and community identity by tapping into shared senses of history, experience, and culture. States these murals present an argument for cultural pride and political activism by inserting into the public space of a community symbolic representations of…

Edible Connections is a public forum intended to facilitate dialog on food system issues. Media representatives are participants, and the focus is on solutions to local food system issues and problems. (Contains 22 references.) (JOW)

In India development strategy is shifting toward recognition of the importance of initiative and the role of nongovernmental organizations. Revival of communitarianism (community volunteer action) is playing a major role in improvement of the rural environment. (SK)

Monday Creek Restoration Project is a collaborative effort of 20 organizations to clean up an Appalachian Ohio stream fouled for generations by acid mine drainage and industrial waste. The grassroots effort has involved state and federal agencies, VISTA volunteers, community volunteers, and college students who monitor the watershed and share…

Describes the processes used in the Replication of Lessons Learned (ROLL) program in Russia, which was designed in 1996 to increase the impact of environmental projects already tested in pilot sites by replicating the most successful ones at new sites. Emphasizes the multilevel collaborative partnerships established in the program and describes…

Community action and social change have roots in personal family narratives that connect members within the same household, between families and schools, and between families across national borders. In two northern California communities, the value of computer literacy lies in the personal narratives that unite these families to each other,…

A framework for media education that helps students enhance their understanding of the media and use their knowledge to influence individual and community action is proposed. It is experienced that the problem with educating children against, rather than about, the media is the assumption that students are passive audiences of the media, lacking…

This booklet deals with three ways in which to be an active citizen in a democracy: voting, communicating with elected officials, and volunteering. Words about citizenship that may be new to the reader are in bold print and underlined; a word box at the top of the page provides the meaning of specially marked words on that page. Part 1 on voting…

This book is intended as a resource for elected officials, municipal staff, and citizens who would like to apply the concept of sustainable development in their communities through an ecosystems approach to human settlements management. The subcomponents of human community life and its impact on the environment are explored. Included are tested,…

Thousands of creatures are vulnerable to entrapment, entanglement, strangulation, or starvation as a result of plastic six-pack binders and metal pull-tabs. Possible solutions include: recycling, clean-up campaigns, and strong container legislation. (BT)

In this article, adopted from a speech given in California, the author traces the evolution of Environmental Education and cites numerous examples of the need for environmental concern. Along with this, Ms. Matthews points out the weaknesses of past environmental education programs and the means to improve existing ones. (MA)

Intended to help Future Farmers of America (FFA) members develop skills in improving their communities under the Building Our American Community Program, this publication provides guidance on how FFA chapter members can be active citizens and use democratic processes. Section I, Identifying and Analyzing Communities, consists of four chapters.…

A description of how research and theoretical concepts dealing with poverty-stricken communities were translated into effective social action programs. (EH)