Neighborhoods Matter

How Place and People Affect Political Participation

Carrie LeVan

• Publisher: NYU Press
• Year: 2026
• Print ISBN:
  9781479834389
• eBook ISBN:
  9781479834419
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: City Planning & Urban Development
• Index: Politics & International Relations

The unexpected impact of neighborhood design on civic engagement

Participation in official governmental institutions and activities has declined dramatically. Americans are less inclined to express trust in, or cooperate with, political leaders and each other to address society's most pressing problems. In Neighborhoods Matter, Carrie LeVan explores this growing crisis in civic engagement, arguing that where we live –and the people who live around us– may be to blame.

Drawing on national surveys, census data, and spatial analysis, LeVan demonstrates how neighborhood design can dramatically impact political participation, including people's desire and ability to vote in local, state, and national elections. She argues that the suburbs, which isolate residents, require driving, and are zoned for single-use, do not provide an effective infrastructure for civic engagement. However, cities, which are often designed to be walkable, more interactive, and are zoned for mixed-use, provide a supportive environment where people and politics can thrive.

Ultimately, LeVan underscores how neighborhoods that support interaction, competition, collective action—and even conflict—can support greater civic engagement and political participation. Neighborhoods Matter highlights the connection between politics, people, and place, calling for good suburban and urban design that can support a vibrant and engaging civic life.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• List of Figures and Tables
• Preface
• 1. We All Live in Neighborhoods: When and Why Place and People Matter
• 2. A Contextual Approach to Participation: Introduction to Place and People Model
• 3. Coding Design: Description of Methods and Sample Neighborhoods
• 4. Porches and People: How Traditional Urban Design Affects Participation and Neighboring
• 5. A Rising Tide or a Helping Hand: Who Benefits Most from Neighborhood Design?
• 6. Now I See You, Now I Don’t: How Design Hides or Highlights Co-Racial Neighbors
• Conclusion: Place, People, and Participation in a Gentrifying World
• Acknowledgments
• Appendix to Chapter 4
• Appendix to Chapter 5
• Appendix to Chapter 6
• Notes
• References
• Index
• About the Author