ABSTRACT
Chapter 1 introduces the various intersections of city planning, community development, economic development and public education. Beyond education, schools can be important sources of health care, nutrition and economic development. However, schools, as separate governmental institutions, create challenges and opportunities for community development. In this chapter, we introduce our theoretical framework, explore schools as both a space of cooperation and of conflict and give emphasis to the importance of power relations within the community and beyond. Next, we introduce the case studies in this book that show the promise and the challenges of schools as both a generator and stabilizing force in community development.
