My name is Ernst Matscheko, I am
originally from Europe, have lived in seven different countries and visited many
more for business and pleasure. My major is integrated Studies with emphasis in
Business Management and Recreation Management.
To me communities are usually social units
that share common values. Individuals within communities may be affected by common
belief, resources, preferences, needs, and risks. Neighborhoods are
geographically localized communities where residents seek to realize common
values.
"Robert
J. Sampson work is about the fundamental importance of place. He discovered that neighborhoods influence a
remarkably wide variety of social phenomena, including crime, health, civic
engagement, home foreclosures, teen births, altruism, leadership networks, and
immigration" (Hurley). In the foreword of
his book Great American City: Chicago
& the Enduring Neighborhood Effect, William J. Wilson wrote that
Sampson argues that neighborhood contexts are, in themselves, important
determinant of the quality and quantity of human behavior. Further he wrote
that Sampson argues that given the historical evidence that community
structures are highly patterned, policies focusing on community-level interventions,
and based on research knowledge about the mechanisms of urban change, are far
more feasible and indeed more cost-effective over the long term than targeting
individuals.
In this class I look forward to
examine the phenomenon of community stability, conduct research and gather source
material from disciplines as diverse as anthropology, history, geography,
economics…
I specially look forward to the part where I
will be able to integrate what I have learned, enabling me to approach real
world issues and challenges that are relevant to me and my goals.
