| A passion for forming and joining groups has turned many American communities into vast networks of interlocking, interacting groups. Many of these groups assume a political role. Those that do take a variety of forms and often have different, even conflicting goals. In this thesis, data are presented on the daily concerns and problem solving strategies of a variety of political organizations operating within a single geographically and politically defined community district in New York City during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Much of the dramatic content of this study develops out of a growing awareness among members of these groups that the when it comes to policy decision making, influence counts--as does knowing and operating by a set of informal rules. The conflicting goals sought by these groups is a second source of tension. As members of these groups work in behalf of their constitutencies, local tensions are aroused and resentments triggered. The complex ways in which groups within this district vie with each other over control, and how each of these groups in turn relate to forces and/or institutions outside the community are highlighted in this dissertation through a series of case studies. |
