"Cultural Expectations and Urban Development: The Roll of 'Cultural Sensitivity' and 'Cultural Sincerity' in Local Growth Politics"

My article on the impact of local cultural expectations on the process and politics of urban development has been published in the March issue of the journal Sociological Perspectives.

The article, "Cultural Expectations and Urban Development," presents my research into the ways that local culture influences so-called "growth machine" development. Through case studies of the politics surrounding two recent development proposals in Davis, California, I show that the unique character, identity, and normative expectations of a community are not always as irrelevant to large 'outside' development actors as they are thought to be. In particular, I argue that the Target Corporation's attention to local expectations of unique small-town charm and leadership in environmental sustainability paid an important role in their ability to win voter approval for a (first ever) 'big box' store in this vocally 'anti-corporate' community. By contrasting this victory with the failure a year earlier of an ostensibly 'green' and even quite locally-based housing development, I show how both cultural sensitivity and perceived sincerity are instrumental to success.

Here's the abstract and citation for the article. It can be accessed here if you have jstor access, or here if you don't (pdf).

Cultural Expectations and Urban Development: The Roll of 'Cultural Sensitivity' and 'Cultural Sincerity' in Local Growth Politics

This article examines the role of culture in the local urban development process through a case study of recent proposals in Davis, California. The author argues that community cultural expectations—of environmental leadership and the preservation of local character—had an important impact on project proposals and the political campaigns
that followed, including the ability of an unlikely corporate developer to win public approval from this town with a vocal and usually powerful anti-corporate character. While on the surface the local growth coalition came together as expected in the literature, this study demonstrates that development organizations operate within cultural contexts that are more complex than the existing discourse has accounted for. Factors that the author calls “cultural sensitivity” and “cultural sincerity” both play a role. As concerns with environmental sustainability and preservation of local character gain prominence in development politics, the insights drawn from these cases are of particular value.
Douglas, Gordon C. C. "Cultural Expectations and Urban Development: The Roll of 'Cultural Sensitivity' and 'Cultural Sincerity' in Local Growth Politics," Sociological Perspectives, vol. 55, no. 1, March 2012. 213-236.