Why a city fails: A look at the university and its relationship to the urban predicament

Method of inquiry. The method of investigation will develop an understanding of key factors that allow some programs to train 'agents of change' in a more productive way than others. A comparative analysis will be conducted among three Urban Studies and/or Planning departments offering programs specialized in community development. There will be a review of accredited institutions in order to select the schools that are going to be studied. These schools are ranked in the top 30 Urban Studies and/or Planning schools with a strong focus programs in community development. The information will be gathered from the Guide to Graduate Education in Urban and Regional Planning as well as from texts discussing historical education in America. One of the three programs selected will be the UB Graduate Department of Urban and Regional Planning. The other two schools will be chosen on the basis of their reputation as an academic program that excels in the field of community development. These three departments will be assessed by the analysis of the courses taught and syllabi used. Open-ended interviews will be held with selected faculty members and students. Additionally, the type of programs and activities the departments are involved in will be analyzed. The study will determine the extent to which these department have links with community based organizations, specific neighborhoods, and local government. The project also seeks to identify the constraints within the university and to develop a sense of why some programs are more successful than others at preparing agents of change. The analysis of these programs that are considered to be more successful will develop an understanding of key factors that enable them to produce effective 'Agents of Change'. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...