COMMUNITY ORGANIZING OR ORGANIZING COMMUNITY - GENDER AND THE CRAFTS OF EMPOWERMENT

This article looks at two strains of urban community organizing, disti nguished by philosophy and often by gender and influenced by the histo rical division of American society into public and private spheres. Th e authors compare the well-known Alinsky model, which focuses on commu nities organizing for power and what they call the women-centered mode l, which focuses on organizing relationships to build community These models are rooted in somewhat distinct traditions and vary along sever al dimensions, including conceptions of human nature and conflict, pow er and politics, leadership, and the organizing process. The authors c onclude by examining the implications of this analysis and questions f or further research and practice.