This thesis looks at the state of marriage equality activism in the wake of the Supreme Court’s June 26, 2013 decisions in United States v. Windsor and Hollingsworth v. Perry. Some scholars, such as Gerald Rosenberg, argue that Supreme Court decisions can never affect “significant social change,” either directly or indirectly, while others argue that such decisions can be hugely important in directly affecting policy. My focus is on how activist organizations, which have a substantial track record of directly affecting policy, are influenced by changes to the political environment stemming from major Court decisions regarding social issues. After examining how past litigative efforts such as Baehr v. Lewin and Goodridge v. Department of Public Health have affected the LGBT rights movement, and marriage equality activism specifically, I discuss how organizational strategies have changed minimally, but the political environment in which marriage equality activism is operating has shifted quite a bit, especially in terms of framing and legal precedent. I conclude that Court decisions can indeed have a significant impact on social change by affecting the way in which it is possible for activists on both sides of the issue to shape and deliver their message to the general public, legislators, and courts in future litigative efforts.

This thesis will study the resident’s perceptions of a community park in the new urbanism community of Mt Laurel, Alabama by evaluating the thirteen principles established by William Hollingsworth Whyte for creating successful urban parks. The thirteen principles established by Whyte for creating successful spaces are: •The parks proximity/relationship to the street •Location of the sidewalks to the street •Its ability to consistently sustain a constant flow of people through its boundaries •Its amount of defined spaces rather than large open spaces •Its amount of sitable space, in terms of ledges, steps, planters, chairs etc. •The parks sense of security among its users •The incorporation of water features within the parks boundaries •The extent of tree canopies within the park for shading purposes •The availability of food concessions •The parks number of waste receptacles •Routine performers •Outdoor cafes in the park •Occasional art and music exhibits

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