OUP - Abstract

Faith-Based Versus Secular Approaches to Community Development in African-American Communities: The Case of Los Angeles

Dissertation School: University of California, Los Angeles

Pages: 298

Publication Date: January 2004

Availability:
Available from the HUD USER Helpdesk P.O. Box 23268 Washington, DC 20026-3268 Toll Free: 1-800-245-2691 Fax: 1-202-708-9981 Email: oup@oup.org

Access Number: 10823

Abstract:
Purpose
This grant will support my dissertation research, which compares African-American-led faith-based and secular community development corporations (CDCs) in order to explore the hypothesis that although faith-based and secular CDCs appear to be similar, several factors may contribute to differential project outcomes. The study will provide empirical research to inform recent scholarship that relies primarily on anecdotal evidence to support the claim that faith-based and secular CDCs are distinct. It will also increase our knowledge about the factors that contribute to effective CDC projects and respond to researchers who question the viability of the CDC model of community development.

Methodology
The research will employ a case study methodology. There are a number of well-established African-American-led CDCs in the City of Los Angeles that will provide a varied pool of prospective cases. I will research indepth those CDCs that meet the selection criteria, which includes geography, being African-American-led, possessing a minimum number of years of experience in certain activities, and by their ability to meet standard annual productivity and activity levels in housing, economic development, social services, and advocacy or organizing. Once the CDCs that meet the selection criteria are chosen, I will prepare a database and compare faith-based project outcomes to secular project outcomes on the bases of their efficiency and effectiveness.

If differences in outcomes between the two types of CDCs are observed, I will try to identify the differences. This will require me to develop organizations profiles, interview key internal and external respondents, and synthesize the results in light of the database on project outcomes. On the other hand, if no differences in outcomes are observed, then I will review the literature on faith-based development to understand why differences between faith-based and secular CDCs are implied and compare what the literature says to the actual project outcomes in the CDC database.

Back to Search Result of DDRG Dissertations