A COMPARISON OF AGENCY AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL: FINDINGS FROM RURAL IRELAND AND PENNSYLVANIA

The role of citizen participation in the rural and community development process needs to be better understood. Such collective agency is vital to protecting, retaining, and maintaining communities in the face of a wide range of threats. This comparative study was designed to identify factors that shape agency and participation in Ireland (Killala and Tang) and Pennsylvania (Meadville and Bedford) communities. A mixedmethod framework based on the use of extensive key-informant interviews, focus groups, and household survey data was employed. This community level analysis revealed that much of the diversity in community agency existed at the community level, with surprising differences between Killala and the other three locations obtained. Exploration of these differences provides suggestions and implications for community development practitioners in their efforts to enhance citizen participation.