The City and Community Studies Initiative (CCSI) is a unique collaboration between the Departments of Sociology, Political Science, and Geography to provide an intellectual community that promotes funded, interdisciplinary research on key issues concerning cities and communities in Northeast Ohio.  In turn, the Initiative aims to enhance student learning, and increases public dissemination of knowledge by bringing together different Kent State University faculty, students, and outside research collaborators.

Dave Kaplan, a Professor in KSU's Geography Department, began CCSI along with other founding members including Richard Adams, Joanna Dreby, and David Purcell from the Department of Sociology and John Hoornbeek from the Department of Political Science.  The partnership of these departments began because each subject area has a hand in the development of the community and the quality of life within a region – a main focus of the Initiative.