Seven Principles for a New Pittsburgh

My plan is to try to incorporate into this blog the seven principles Mike Madison listed in the Manifesto for a New Pittsburgh. First, I thought I could come up with new tags, corresponding with each principle. But revisiting the Manifesto, I think I already have six tags that fit.

1. Connect and reconnect with the virtual Pittsburgh.

The main theme of the Manifesto is connectivity. Informing the Burgh Diaspora blog is the phenomenon of labor mobility, but connectivity is the subject of the majority of my posts. Fittingly, I think, the first principle stresses the importance of connectivity for Pittsburgh.

2. Bring new resources to the region.

The second principle is about an expanded concept of regional resources. Perhaps I'm trying too hard to make my current list of tags fit, but the posts about innovation seem to mesh well with this principle.

3. Energize Pittsburgh’s culture and community.

The term "diaspora" does a good job of capturing the idea of a global community. Pittsburgh exists in more places than just Southwestern Pennsylvania. If the second principle expands the concept of regional resources, the third principle expands the concept of community.

4. Listen for new voices.

I suppose "new voices" could also fall under innovation, but I think the tag "frontier geographies" is a better match with the fourth principle. The margin is another word for frontier. I think of the Diaspora as Pittsburgh's modern day pioneers.

5. Change the face of Pittsburgh.

The fifth principle dovetails well with my theme of "migration." The demography of Pittsburgh is a reflection of its global reach.

6. Build on the best of Pittsburgh’s past.

I don't have a tag or theme that captures the sixth principle. I've done little to celebrate Pittsburgh's past, but I recognize how important that history is to the Burgh Diaspora. Nostalgia for Pittsburgh is the glue that holds the Diaspora together. This is "civic pride" and the tag for this post.

7. Recognize the geopolitics of the neighborhood.

The seventh principle outlines the geographic transformations we are all experiencing. Globalization is driving the new geopolitics, which I explore through the theme of labor mobility. If Pittsburgh wants to help its children deal with the challenges of globalization, it should encourage mobility. Migration is a great adaptive strategy to macro-economic shocks. The successes of the Burgh Diaspora are a testament to this approach to dealing with hard times.