Neighborhood Self-Management Organizations: An International Perspective

Abstract

This chapter deals with neighborhood self-management organizations and community councils in various countries throughout the world, especially in large cities that have developed and encouraged a tradition of citizen participation. This tradition impelled neighborhood residents to participate in the process of formulating policies and making decisions that have an impact on their lives. There is no unique organizational or structural pattern that characterizes all neighborhood organizations and community councils. Rather, organizational patterns have developed in accordance with the historical, cultural, and economic background of each country. This is particularly true of neighborhood organizations, which were established as voluntary entities without any formal, legal status. In most cities, these organizations represent various groups of citizens with vested interests that ire not always consistent with governmental or municipal interests and goals. It is therefore important to determine how the state perceives its official institutions, and how it views encouragement of diverse groups in society to protect their rights, acquire representation, and participate as equals in the political arena. In modern societies, citizens are no longer subject to formal, rigid, bureaucratic authorities.KeywordsCity CouncilInternational PerspectiveCitizen ParticipationMunicipal AuthorityNeighborhood OrganizationThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.