Neighborhoods and Public-Private Partnerships in Pittsburgh

The long-term impact of public-private partnerships as a governing structure has not been adequately explored. In Pittsburgh, neighborhood groups have struggled to participate in the partnership's revitalization agenda. Their participation often is recognized as necessary for legitimation purposes, but they are often excluded from influencing economic development policy. Theories of incorporation and corporatism provide some insight into the possibilities and limits of including neighborhood interests in partnerships. A dynamic of consent best explains why neighborhood interests are often in contradiction with partnership agendas and why there are inherent limits to legitimacy in partnership structures.