3 Small City Social & Cultural “Who is included?” Are there “insiders and outsiders?” Small cities are often praised for their close-knit communities. But close-knit for whom? Across the Co-Lab, participants described a social divide between those who are considered “from here” and those who “came here.” Over time, population change, economic transition, growth, and decline have produced and reproduced this divided social fabric, shaping the sense of who does and does not “belong.” This booklet traces that divided social fabric across time, drawing on cities in Pennsylvania, with additional perspectives from the Midwest and Northeast. Their histories differ and converge, but a common thread emerged: participants placed high value on their social and cultural resources – festivals, traditions, community organizations, and civic institutions – while recognizing that their cities “could do more,” “need more,” and they “would love to see more” opportunities for connection.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA0OTQ5OA==