2021/03/17 by Brady Collins
Social Sciences · #Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research #Public Policy and Administration Research #Urban Planning and Governance
paper · doi:10.1177/0739456x21998448
openalex publication_date 2021/03/17 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25
Since the 1990s, urban planners in the United States have developed systems of neighborhood governance as a way to better involve citizens in decision making. Simultaneously, place branding emerged as an economic development strategy employed by local, municipal, and regional organizations. While often discussed as an elite-controlled game, little attention has been paid to the role of residents in branding their own communities. This study investigates the extent to which different neighborhood governance systems encourage neighborhood branding. Through qualitative analysis of thirty-five cities, this paper demonstrates that across systems, there is an ongoing tension between empowering residents and managing place branding.