A community indicators project compiles and presents up-to-date information on various aspects of community life in a given locale. As a barometer of a community’s overall well-being, they provide a tool that concerned citizens, local governments, service providers, advocates, and funders can use to evaluate the success of various initiatives and policy changes in a particular area, and recognize emerging needs and opportunities. These projects are fundamentally sociological in their commitment to empirical research and the methods used to assemble the information.
about the authors
Nicole MartinRogers works on oversight and management of the data collection unit at Wilder Research, including design and implementation of scientifically sound survey research. Nicole is currently working toward her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Minnesota.
Ela Rausch is a a research associate for Twin Cities Compass, a new initiative measuring progress to move our region forward. Since 2000, Ela has worked in the field of housing and community development as a researcher, policy assistant, and community organizer. Ela holds a Master of Public Policy degree from the Humphrey Institute and a B.A. in Sociology and American Studies from the University of Minnesota.
Paul Mattessich is executive director of Wilder Research. He has also served on a variety of government and nonprofit boards of directors and special task forces. He received his Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Minnesota.
Feature
Communities that Don't Bowl in the Fog
About Contexts
Contexts is a quarterly magazine that makes sociology interesting and relevant to anyone interested in how society operates.
It is a publication of the American Sociological Association, edited by Jodi O’Brien (Seattle University) and Arlene Stein (Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey).
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