Nonprofit Neighborhoods: An Urban History of Inequality and the American State (Historical Studies of Urban America)

**An exploration of how and why American city governments delegated the responsibility for solving urban inequality to the nonprofit sector.** Nonprofits serving a range of municipal and cultural needs are now so ubiquitous in US cities, it can be difficult to envision a time when they were more limited in number, size, and influence. Turning back the clock, however, uncovers both an illuminating story of how the nonprofit sector became such a dominant force in American society, as well as a troubling one of why this growth occurred alongside persistent poverty and widening inequality. Claire Dunning’s book connects these two stories in histories of race, democracy, and capitalism, revealing how the federal government funded and deputized nonprofits to help individuals in need, and in so doing avoided addressing the structural inequities that necessitated such action in the first place. __Nonprofit Neighborhoods__ begins after World War II, when suburbanization, segregation, and deindustrialization inaugurated an era of urban policymaking that applied private solutions to public problems. Dunning introduces readers to the activists, corporate executives, and politicians who advocated addressing poverty and racial exclusion through local organizations, while also raising provocative questions about the politics and possibilities of social change. The lessons of __Nonprofit Neighborhoods__ exceed the bounds of Boston, where the story unfolds, providing a timely history of the shift from urban crisis to urban renaissance for anyone concerned about American inequality—past, present, or future. An Exploration Of How And Why American City Governments Delegated The Responsibility For Solving Urban Inequality To The Nonprofit Sector. American Cities Are Rife With Nonprofit Organizations That Provide Services Ranging From Arts To Parks, And Health To Housing. These Organizations Have Become So Ubiquitous, It Can Be Difficult To Envision A Time When They Were Fewer, Smaller, And More Limited In Their Roles. Turning Back The Clock, However, Uncovers Both An Eye-opening Story Of How The Nonprofit Sector Became Such A Dominant Force In American Society, As Well As A Troubling One Of Why This Growth Occurred Alongside Persistent Poverty And Widening Inequality. Claire Dunning's Book Connects These Two Stories In Histories Of Race, Democracy, And Capitalism, Revealing An Underexplored Transformation In Urban Governance: How The Federal Government Funded And Deputized Nonprofits To Help Individuals In Need, And In So Doing Avoided Addressing The Structural Inequities That Necessitated Such Action In The First Place. ​nonprofit Neighborhoods Begins In The Decades After World War Ii, When A Mix Of Suburbanization, Segregation, And Deindustrialization Spelled Disaster For Urban Areas And Inaugurated A New Era Of Policymaking That Aimed To Solve Public Problems With Private Solutions. From Deep Archival Research, Dunning Introduces Readers To The Activists, Corporate Executives, And Politicians Who Advocated Addressing Poverty And Racial Exclusion Through Local Organizations, While Also Raising Provocative Questions About The Politics And Possibilities Of Social Change. The Lessons Of Nonprofit Neighborhoods Exceed The Municipal Bounds Of Boston, Where Much Of The Story Unfolds, Providing A Timely History Of The Shift From Urban Crisis To Urban Renaissance For Anyone Concerned About American Inequality--past, Present, Or Future. "Claire Dunning's study focuses on the relationship between state power and nonprofit organizations in the postwar era and on the effects their dynamics have had on urban neighborhoods. She reveals how public-private partnerships positioned nonprofits as surprisingly powerful intermediaries between the state and individuals. These nonprofits took the lead in combatting urban poverty-and yet, counterintuitively, the intended devolution and decentralization of power from the state to the community level made the welfare state both larger and more impersonal and financialized. Thus, even as participation in antipoverty programs increased, the structural forces behind urban poverty became only more entrenched"-- Provided by publisher