Betty Wells
Department of Sociology
107 East Hall
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 50011-1070
USA
According to Serova Eugenia, Russian Ministry of Agriculture, rural people have "lost the skill to live in community; the process of agrarian reform will likely remain stalled until people have acquired skills that allow them to participate effectively at the local level." Rebuilding community must occur at the local level -- where markets emerge and site specific information is found.
This paper explores, from the vantage of an American community development practitioner, the interrelated challenges of rediscovering community and revaluing women. It assumes a three-sectored community: business, government and private nonprofit organizations. The second and third sectors counter-balance the business institutions of a market economy. Whereas local governments assume first-line responsibility for infrastructure and public services, nonprofits often emerge to meet unmet needs and fill service gaps. Individual citizens exercise leadership and forge new bonds of community in third sector organizations thereby maintain local initiative and responsive capacity.
The paper provides examples of gender-responsible community development programs in the U.S. that benefit women in business, in local government and third sector organizations, and invites the reader to consider their applicability in Russia.
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