New Book is a Primer on How Communities Can Make Themselves Better
June 8, 2004
Suzanne W. Morse's new book, "Smart Communities: How Citizens and Local Leaders Can Use Strategic Thinking to Build a Brighter Future," discusses strategies used by nearly two dozen American communities -- from Alamena, Wisc. to Boston, Mass. -- to improve their odds for success. An expert on civic solutions, Morse spells out what works in practical terms.
"Smart Communities" is for policymakers and citizens alike who care about their communities and have been looking for help in making better community decisions," says Marc H. Morial, former mayor of New Orleans and president and CEO of the National Urban League. "Smart communities do things differently and Suzanne Morse shows how they do it."
"Smart Communities" is based on over a decade of research on successful civic strategies conducted by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change and its hundreds of community partners. It identifies seven key leverage points necessary for communities to be "smart," such as building on community strengths, growing leaders, preserving the past and inventing a brighter future.
Founded in 1992 by The Pew Charitable Trusts and administered by the University of Richmond, the Pew Partnership is an action civic research organization dedicated to finding solutions, not just describing problems. Morse is its executive director. She is also a fellow at the Jepson School of Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond.
Published by Jossey-Bass, the book is available at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and in bookstores.