6 pages., Via online., Author outlined six engagement principles that facilitate community-building efforts in organizations and identified future directions for both application and investigation of those principles.
16 pages., via online journal., Case study examined the efforts of a rural hyperlocal outlet to adapt community traditions as engagement interventions by reimagining "society columns" as community contributors -- and using "liars tables" as listening circles. Findings show promising signs by making the processes of journalism more participatory, allowing residents to represent and share their own stories and cover a wider range of stories that are not exclusively negative. The "liars table" concept "has a steeper road ahead."
15 pages., Online via UI e-subscription., Data from Pakistan prompt the author to suggest that underlying community characteristics and/or social interactions may be driving both the performance of water user associations and on-farm water use efficiency.
Via online magazine. 9 pages., An old 1,300-acre oil refining site in South Philadelphia is being converted into a vast e-commerce distribution center. "But the developers of these brownfields must confront a legacy of toxic pollution and neglect of surrounding communities of color." A Philadelphia council member reports, "We have a long way to go as relates to community engagement, as well as paying attention to the environmental remediation process."
Online via UI subscription. 10 pages., How libraries are teaming up with journalists to promote media literacy, spur civic engagement, and even take on reporting projects
17 pages., As the United States grapples with increasingly partisan media and affective polarization, how do cultural and political fault lines filter into residents’ daily lives, and how are they navigated? This case study of a region within a red state uses a communication infrastructure theory framework to examine how this political context affects residents’ relationships with media and their larger community storytelling networks. Through a series of focus groups, story diaries, and interviews with residents and local journalists, it explores whether shared communication resources remain and the potential for creating spaces for dialogue across political and demographic divides. Findings illustrate how residents negotiate interpersonal relationships, community spaces, and local and national media in a polarized communication context. The study highlights the importance of recognizing place-based identities and media representations to facilitate trust in journalism and points to possible responses for local news and community engagement.
