Civic and Community Engagement Commons^™

The People Who “Burn”: “Communication,” Unity, And Change In Belarusian Discourse On Public Creativity, Anton Dinerstein

Doctoral Dissertations

The main intellectual problem I address in this study is how everyday communication activates the relationship between creativity, conflict, and change. More specifically, I look at how the communication of creativity becomes a process of transformation, innovation, and change and how people are propelled to create through everyday communication practices in the face of conflict and opposition. To approach this problem, I use the case of communication in modern-day Belarus to show how creativity becomes a vehicle for and a source of new social and cultural routines among the independent grassroots communities and initiatives in Minsk. On one level, I …

Before The Flood Washes It Away: The Road Connecting Urban & Regional Planning And Emergency Management Planning, Ian Cyr

Masters Theses

This master’s thesis examines the relationship between emergency management planning and comprehensive land use planning. The incorporation of emergency management practices into the comprehensive planning process allows for a better understanding of the impact of development, zoning, building code, and economic development on the mitigation of hazards that face the community. Academic curricula may provide a brief introduction of the relationship between hazard mitigation and land use; however, a more detailed exploration of how emergency management planning and regional or urban planning are interrelated is needed. The impact of weather-related events, natural disasters, or other human-caused shock or disruption can …

An Incremental Intervention In Jakarta: An Empowering Infrastructural Approach For Upgrading Informal Settlements, Christopher H. Counihan

Masters Theses

Incrementalism is a growing movement within multiple design disciplines that approaches design with sustainable, social, and resilient aims structured around participatory, infrastructural, and phased approaches to design. Carefully considered structural and independent infrastructural frameworks allow infill and accretion according to the demands and needs of individuals and communities. This paper outlines the theories, case studies, and conditions driving incrementalism. My research has informed my project proposal for an incremental upgrade of a slum located in Jakarta using a phased, soft infrastructural, resident facilitated upgrade and development strategy creating new housing units, productive landscapes, and urban form. Incremental development will foster …

Visual Interventions And The “Crises In Representation” In Environmental Anthropology: Researching Environmental Justice In A Hungarian Romani Neighborhood, Krista Harper

Anthropology Department Faculty Publication Series

Participatory visual research, or "visual interventions" (Pink 2007) allow environmental anthropologists to respond to three different “crises of representation”: 1) the critique of ethnographic representation presented by postmodern, postcolonial, and feminist anthropologists, 2) the constructivist critique of nature and the environment, and 3) the “environmental justice” critique demanding representation for the environmental concerns of communities of color. Participatory visual research integrates community members in the process of staking out a research agenda, conducting fieldwork and interpreting data, and communicating and applying research findings. Our project used the Photovoice methodology to generate knowledge and documentation related to environment injustices faced by …

Visual Interventions And The “Crises In Representation” In Environmental Anthropology: Researching Environmental Justice In A Hungarian Romani Neighborhood, Krista Harper

Krista M. Harper

Participatory visual research, or "visual interventions" (Pink 2007) allow environmental anthropologists to respond to three different “crises of representation”: 1) the critique of ethnographic representation presented by postmodern, postcolonial, and feminist anthropologists, 2) the constructivist critique of nature and the environment, and 3) the “environmental justice” critique demanding representation for the environmental concerns of communities of color. Participatory visual research integrates community members in the process of staking out a research agenda, conducting fieldwork and interpreting data, and communicating and applying research findings. Our project used the Photovoice methodology to generate knowledge and documentation related to environment injustices faced by …

From The Quadrangle To The River: Revitalizing The Heart Of Downtown Springfield, Mary F. Dehais, Yuanfang Gong, John E. Hulsey, Pamela Jo Landi, Adam G. Monroy, Seth A. Morrow, Alexander G. Seib, Jie Su, Kate A. Tooke, Owen M. White, Emily S. Wright, Kuang Xin, Xiao Zhou

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Studio and Student Research and Creative Activity

This studio report explores community service learning in the graduate urban design studio taught in the in Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and instructed by Professor Frank Sleegers.

The project will began with a visioning workshop, conducted to engage community members in the shaping of project goals and objectives within the project area of downtown Springfield. These findings were brought to the studio and guided the design process and outcomes.

Five design teams developed five alternative master plans for the core area of downtown Springfield with focus on the revitalization of open …

Across The Bridge: Using Photovoice To Study Environment And Health In A Romani Community., Krista Harper, The Sajó River Association For Environment And Community Development, Hungary

Anthropology Department Faculty Publication Series

This photo essay is the product of a partnership between Prof. Krista Harper, the Sajó River Association for Environment and Community Development, and community organizer Judit Bari. The project took place in a small city in northeastern Hungary hit hard by factory closings since the collapse of state socialism in 1989. The Roma community, about 20% of the town’s population, has been especially vulnerable. A team of six young people participated as photographers and discussion participants, working closely with Harper and Bari. Other community members joined discussions of the images. The team held a photo exhibition in the neighborhood where …

Across The Bridge: Using Photovoice To Study Environment And Health In A Romani Community., Krista Harper

Krista M. Harper

This photo essay is the product of a partnership between Prof. Krista Harper, the Sajó River Association for Environment and Community Development, and community organizer Judit Bari. The project took place in a small city in northeastern Hungary hit hard by factory closings since the collapse of state socialism in 1989. The Roma community, about 20% of the town’s population, has been especially vulnerable. A team of six young people participated as photographers and discussion participants, working closely with Harper and Bari. Other community members joined discussions of the images. The team held a photo exhibition in the neighborhood where …

Gill, Massachusetts: The Mariamante Parcel, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

In December of 2004, the small Massachusetts town of Gill took a tremendous step to influence its own future. A fifteen acre parcel of land in the south of town, near the intersection of two important town roads, had been put up for sale by its previous owners. The land had been under an agricultural preservation restriction, a program enabled by Massachusetts General Law Chapter 61 A. As part of this restriction, if the land were ever sold, the town would have right of first refusal.

The town's recent Community Development Plan has identified the parcel as a prime site …

Economic Development Plan Town Of Warren, Massachusetts, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This section of the Comprehensive Plan identifies economic development strategies within the framework of various development opportunities available to Warren given its current economic and geographical standing within the region. These economic development strategies strive to meet the needs and desires of the residents of Warren, Massachusetts based on their input and an analysis of local and regional economic trends and conditions. These potential economic strategies, intended to promote future economic growth, are in alignment with the Town’s core values and community goals.

Warren currently has two village centers, an active mill complex, significant open space, rivers and wetlands, and …

Haverhill Street Corridor Study: Methuen, Massachusetts, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The City of Methuen’s Department of Planning and Community Development hired a team of students from the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Master’s in Regional Planning studio class to examine the growth impacts of a potential highway interchange reconfiguration. Exit 46 of Interstate 93 in Methuen is a failed interchange, and will likely be reconfigured in the next ten years. Methuen, a middle class city of 44,000 midway between Boston, MA and Manchester, NH, is currently experiencing significant growth pressures. The reconfigured interchange will only add to these pressures.

In consultation with the client, the studio team focused its analysis on …

A Search For The Most Exemplary Towns In Massachusetts, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

What are the most exemplary cities or towns in the state of Massachusetts? This is the question that this study explores. At the beginning of this semester, Regional Planning Studio 1 was given the task of researching and identifying the three to five municipalities in the state that exhibit the most exemplary planning practices.

To accomplish this task, our research team broke into groups, each addressing what it means for a community to be noted as exemplary. The groups looked at four major categories of communities, those with the fastest growing populations, those experiencing a decline in population, the wealthiest, …

Town Of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan Appendix B Community Charrette Results, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This is Appendix B of the Town of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan. This Appendix contains the results of a Community Charrette in Billerica, Massachusetts that helped identify the desires of residents in the community.

Town Of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan Appendix A Community Socio-Economic Profile, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This is Appendix A of the Town of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan. This Appendix contains a Community Socio-Economic Profile.

Town Of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan Appendix C Community Survey Results, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This is Appendix C of the Town of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan. This Appendix contains a summarized report of the results of a community survey.

Town Of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

Billerica is a community rich in history and burgeoning with change. We come from colonial, agrarian roots, participated in the industrial revolution and enjoyed our day as a vacation destination. Billerica changed as the post war economy changed and became a haven for those, many from the city, seeking a close-knit community to raise families. We are now at the forefront of a high technology economy that has brought with it jobs, hotels and more change. As a community we struggle with our desire to preserve our historical character as a rural community and our realization that economic development is …

Town Of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan Appendix D, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This is an appendix for the Town of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan. This Appendix contains a community buildout analysis for Billerica.

Town Of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan Appendix E, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This is an Appendix for the Town of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan. This Appendix contains an open space and recreation plan for the Town of Billerica.

Housing Equity Analysis Final Report, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

the Purpose of this study is to assess the impact of discrimination on rental housing opportunities in Massachusetts. We obtained information on the numbers and types of housing discrimination cases filed in Massachusetts with federal, state, and private non-profit fair housing organizations. A total of 3,431 complaints were reported in Massachusetts from the period of 1990 to April 1998. Our findings indicate clearly, that rental housing discrimination exist in the state of Massachusetts. One of the major problems that we found is the fact that most instances of housing discrimination do not get reported. Based on our work, we are …

The Revitalization Of The Morningside Neighborhood, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The purpose of this project was to provide the Morningside Neighborhood Action Council (MNAC) with reuse options for sites within the Morningside Neighborhood. The two connected goals were to develop reuse options for vacant buildings and lots and for the soon to be vacated Berkshire County House of Corrections and Jail.

Methods the studio team employed in this project include literature review, interviews, field work, inventorying and mapping. These methods allowed the studio team to gain a proper understanding of the issues, needs and desires of the neighborhood and to make recommendations based on them.

The studio team found 11 …

A Critical Assessment Of Master Plans, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

We would like to thank the following individuals for their support and guidance throughout the course of this project.

Our Client:

Mr. Stephen Smith, Executive Director of the Southern Regional Planning and Economic Development District

Our Professors:

John Mullin, PhD., AICP

Rick Taupier, PhD.

David Winsor, AIA

The Purpose of this report is to evaluate master plans for the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District. This project stems from Massachusetts Executive Order 385, which requires planning agencies to review their plans and policies regarding land use and growth management, and to make them as consistent with one another as …

New North Citizen's Council Facility Siting Project, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

Chapter 1 of this report describes the project contracted to the Center for Economic Development and the Urban Places Project at the University of Massachusetts by the New North Citizen's Council of Springfield, Massachusetts, which was, to find better and larger space for their administrative offices, walk-in clinic, and two day-care centers.

Chapter 2 describes the needs and assessments for the NNCC that was conducted, which showed that the NNCC required additional office space that was conveniently located for its clients, more day-care space to allow an expansion of the subsidized day-care program, and expansion options that can be implemented …

Company-Produced Housing, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

It is getting harder and harder for people working in urbanized areas to find affordable housing near their workplace. As new urbanized office and industrial areas expand and the cost of housing increases, employees are finding themselves having to commute longer distances between work and home. This results in traffic congestion, increased pollution and decreased employee satisfaction. Some companies are finding that the lack of locally available and affordable housing is making it harder to recruit and retain employees.

One solution to this problem is for large corporations to develop housing for their employees within walking distance of the job, …

Towards Restoration Of The Urban Village: Proposals For Mason Square Springfield, Massachusetts, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The Mason Square Development Corporation (MSDC), a non-profit group supported by federal block grants has sponsored significant improvements in the economic and social welfare of State Street - the commercial spine of Mason Square. In the past, MSDC has promoted single projects along State Street, but is now seeking a more integrated approach to economic development. Seeing economic vitality as integral to community development, the purpose of this work is twofold. First, we examine Mason Square's rich heritage as a neighborhood system of mixed land uses, taking particular note of the current efforts to try to attract investors, visitors, and …