Introduction to Community Development: Theory, Practice, and Service-Learning

Introduction to Community Development: Theory and Practice provides students of community and economic development with a theoretical and practical introduction to the field of community development. Bringing together leading scholars in the field of community development, the book will follow the curriculum needs in offering a progression from theory to practice, beginning with a theoretical overview, an historical overview, and the approaches to community development (e.g., ecological, interactional, structural-functional; moving to the practice of community development) including technical assistance, action research, evaluation research, the role of local organizations and leadership, and coalitions; and ending with critical issues such as rural development, inner city development, youth in community development, health care, public schools, and sustainable development.

Features and Benefits: Comprehensive yet introductory survey text appropriate for undergraduate students who need historical context, theoretical grounding, critical issues perspective, and the how-to application for community development. Class exercises and service learning projects offer instructors a range of instructional options and help particularly those courses designed to have a service learning component to them. Provides the details of community development as distinct to an economic development approach. Offers new community development intervention models, using examples from recent events or applications to demonstrate the strengths and the challenges. Each chapter contains a hierarchy of learning, activities and exercises that will include sets of multiple choice and discussion questions; a variety of small group service learning activities in which students can participate; action research projects that are relevant to the topic for the chapter; exercises specifically designed for service learning; references; and; a list of videos and other resources that will be useful to instructors and students.

Description courtesy of SAGE Publications.