Diversity and Development in Community Practice

The contributing authors of this book provide current knowledge and practice models for community work in diverse settings. Diversity and Development in Community Practice is full of case examples, theory development, research, and field teaching models for practice across ethnic and racial groups. Faculty will find the book useful due to its scope of theory, practice, research, and examples of student and student/teacher advocacy projects.

Chapters provide new information on working in ethnic communities, management styles, advocacy research, work in multicultural communities, and adapting current practice strategies to specific communities. While the chapters have different foci, all deal with connecting community development strategies to diverse communities. The main theme of the book, to identify the importance of community development and present state-of-the-art theory, research, and practice models, assists practitioners and professionals in a broad range of human service, as well as educators and students in their understanding of the usefulness of development in a community setting.

All of the contributing authors affirm and support the historic principles that have guided the development of community social work practice. They propose theoretical models and describe current interventions that address needs related to contemporary social problems. Among the topics they cover are:

• community development--procedures and skills
• theory development for community projects
• community development and organizing in communities of color
• self-help as both strategy and outcome
• management styles
• classroom advocacy
  
  Together the chapters provide significant guidance for further work in theory construction and curriculum development and offer direction for effective practice and research. Community practitioners, faculty, and students will find in Diversity and Development in Community Practice effective methods and strategies for working with diverse populations in the world's changing economic and social times.