Tuesdays at APA — September 2010

The Abundant Community

September 7, 2010

In the new Planners Press book, The Abundant Community, John McKnight and Peter Block examine the limits of institutions to meet many basic needs. They describe how local neighborhoods are now the vital resource for providing health, security, food, child-raising, economy and a healthful environment. As local communities move forward to produce these conditions for well-being, local governments, agencies, and businesses need to fashion new approaches to neighborhoods — stepping back when they are in the way and providing useful supports when they are called for.

McKnight examined the process by which local neighbors have become producers rather than consumers and looked at how local government has supported the initiatives of citizen producers and removed barriers to productivity. 

PowerPoint presentation (ppt)

PDF of PowerPoint presentation (pdf)

About the Speaker

John McKnight has partnered with Jody Kretzmann for nearly three decades on research on community organizations and neighborhood policy. Additionally, McKnight has conducted his own research on social service delivery systems, health policy, the inclusion of marginalized people, and institutional racism. He currently contributes to efforts at the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute at Northwestern University, and continues his own research and community work.