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Daniel Soyer: (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1997. Pp. 291. $39.95.) Daniel Soyer has written an insightful history of Jewish associational life in New York City as it developed in [...]

In this brief essay, we seek to add to the discussion on the prospects of community mobilization by offering four major points. The impact of human agency, not only structural conditions, must be considered. Currently, there are distinct signs of grass-roots mobilization and a returning activist consciousness. These trends and events must be seen, however, against the broad restructuring of cities, which has dramatically altered the context for organizers and presented new, formidable barriers. Lastly, the sharpening of ideological cleavage is fundamental to mobilize constituencies and bridge the community/class dichotomy that continues to limit most efforts.

In this brief essay, we seek to add to the discussion on the prospects of community mobilization by offering four major points. The impact of human agency, not only structural conditions, must be considered. Currently, there are distinct signs of grass-roots mobilization and a returning activist consciousness. These trends and events must be seen, however, against the broad restructuring of cities, which has dramatically altered the context for organizers and presented new, formidable barriers. Lastly, the sharpening of ideological cleavage is fundamental to mobilize constituencies and bridge the community/class dichotomy that continues to limit most efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]