Neighborhood Self-Management in Jerusalem

Abstract

This article examines the emerging structure of neighborhood self-management in Jerusalem, a project based on the merger of various community decision organizations into a single neighborhood authority. Results from a field study of community opinion leaders and key informants revealed that the venture is seen to portend several potential benefits, such as encouraging uniform neighborhood participation, preventing community conflict and limiting the intrusion of national party politics into the neighborhood arena. However, short-comings are also expected, particularly the limiting of the development of uniquely neighborhood-relevant solutions and restricting the conditions for developing efficacious neighborhood self-management in the long run.