PARAMUS, N.J. – With its acceptance into the Cultures of the Suburbs International Research Network, Bergen Community College has become the first community college to join the group with members on five continents.
“Given our location in Bergen County, one could argue that we are part of the quintessential American suburb,” Bergen professor and Suburban Study Group Chair Phil Dolce, Ph.D., said. “That makes it our responsibility to become a leading voice on this topic. Joining the Cultures of the Suburbs International Research Network validates our work to date and strengthens our future endeavors as we continue to study the complex intricacies of suburban life.”
Network director and University of Exeter professor Jo Gill delivered the announcement to faculty and staff assembled at the College’s main campus last month.
As a member, Bergen will have access to international research on the study of suburban issues and trends while having the opportunity to contribute its own work to the global network. The Cultures of the Suburbs International Research Network began in 2011 at the University of Exeter and features member institutions on five continents – Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and North America.
Led by Dolce for more than a decade, Bergen’s Suburban Studies Group has encouraged research, civic engagement, conferences and classroom discussion on the topic. Many Bergen faculty have presented papers at national and regional conferences on their suburban-studies research. Past topics have included the roles of women, African-Americans and Latinos in the suburbs and the impact of pop culture on the suburban image. Off-campus conferences and community events have taken place in municipalities such as Ridgewood and Westwood on subjects such as downtown economic centers and senior citizens.
Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu) based in Paramus is a public two-year coeducational college, enrolling nearly 16,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip J. Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields.
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