University-community relations and the need for a representational discourse : exploring town-gown at the University of Pennsylvania

Abstract

This thesis examines university-community relations, arguing that the current discourse requires rigorous theoretical attention to the use of representation in media and in physical design to adequately gauge and understand this relationship. Modeled after Naomi Carmon's framework of urban redevelopment, the author provides a new framework for understanding eras of university-community partnerships. Then, the author synthesizes a series of theoretical constructs to develop the representational discourse, to be used in a more rigorous analysis of university-community relationships. Drawing on John Gaventa's framework of power, the study closely examines the University of Pennsylvania and analyzes the University's use of imaging, narrative, and other forms of representation since the 1960s as a way to ensure and perpetuate its dominance. Ultimately, this thesis seeks to inform the ever-evolving discourse around neighborhood change in relation to "anchor institutions," and offers recommendations for points of intervention on the part of communities, planning practitioners, university officials, and theoreticians.