The powers that bind: A case study of collective bases of coalition building in post-civil unrest Los Angeles

Studies on coalition building have neglected the role of historical, cultural, and spatial relationships in shaping the development of interethnic coalitions, particularly between immigrant and native-born minority groups. Based on interviews, participant observation, and archival research on one public space coalition in Koreatown and West Adams, the author argues that (1) the intersection of use and exchange positions among organized segments of both communities provided the interest basis for coalition building, and (2) the competing claims of Koreans around their financial contributions and African-Americans around political and territorial advantages forced each side to negotiate and recognize the benefits of coalescing.