COMMUNITY ACTIVISM IN OAK PARK: COMPETING AGENDAS ...

improve the quality of life for residents. These processes elucidate the ways in which the
forces and limits of the social production of space and social construction of space are
engaged and contested in public arenas (Low 2002:134).
On a broader note, ethnographies of the city expose the conflicts and
contradictions of city life. They reveal that the “city” is more than just a conglomeration
of businesses, parks, neighborhoods, freeways, and people. The city is composed of
dynamic social and economic relationships. Gentrified neighborhoods are characterized
by unequal social relationships and are places where one can learn about power and
social conflict. Boyd (2005:268) explains that
Recognizing and analyzing the discourses that promote
gentrification is increasingly important. The discursive
frameworks that individuals and organizations use to understand
gentrification are more than rhetorical texts to be deconstructed;
they are also reflection of political economic arrangements that
have consequences for the quality of urban life. By providing
evaluative criteria with which to consider and judge gentrification,
they not only influence public debate on the subject; they also
buttress the concrete distribution of material resources that
supports uneven development.
In conclusion, this analysis of social change in the gentrifying neighborhood of
Oak Park should not narrow one’s perspective of the abilities of community groups to
create a better environment for people in the community. Studies have shown that when
given opportunities for collective action and decision making, residents can broaden
definitions of social problems to be more inclusive and reflect the collective good of the
community (Bennett 1995:76). Community development initiatives should continually
be based on increasing the representation of all community members. Increased efforts to
explore the connections and contradictions between community-based organizations and
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