2nd Edition

An Introduction to Community Development

Edited By Rhonda Phillips, Robert Pittman Copyright 2015
    446 Pages
    by Routledge

    446 Pages
    by Routledge

    Beginning with the foundations of community development, An Introduction to Community Development offers a comprehensive and practical approach to planning for communities. Road-tested in the authors’ own teaching, and through the training they provide for practicing planners, it enables students to begin making connections between academic study and practical know-how from both private and public sector contexts.

    An Introduction to Community Development shows how planners can utilize local economic interests and integrate finance and marketing considerations into their strategy. Most importantly, the book is strongly focused on outcomes, encouraging students to ask: what is best practice when it comes to planning for communities, and how do we accurately measure the results of planning practice?

    This newly revised and updated edition includes:

    increased coverage of sustainability issues,

    discussion of localism and its relation to community development,

    quality of life, community well-being and public health considerations,

    and content on local food systems.

    Each chapter provides a range of reading materials for the student, supplemented with text boxes, a chapter outline, keywords, and reference lists, and new skills based exercises at the end of each chapter to help students turn their learning into action, making this the most user-friendly text for community development now available.

    Part 1: Foundations Chapter 1 A Framework for Community and Economic Development Chapter 2 Seven Theories for Seven Community Developers Chapter 3 Asset-based Community Development Chapter 4 Social Capital and Community Building Chapter 5 Sustainability in Community Development Chapter 6 The "New" Local Chapter 7 Community Development Practice Part 2: Preparation and Planning Chapter 8 Community Visioning and Strategic Planning Chapter 9 Establishing Community-Based Organizations Chapter 10 Developing Leadership Skills Chapter 11 Community Development Assessments Chapter 12 Community Asset Mapping and Surveys Chapter 13 Assessing the Local Economy Part 3:Programming Techniques and Strategies Chapter 14 Workforce Training Chapter 15 Marketing the Community Chapter 16 Retaining and Expanding Existing Community Businesses Chapter 17 Entrepreneurship as a Community Development Strategy Chapter 18 Tourism-based Development Chapter 19 Housing and Community Development Chapter 20 Neighborhood Planning for Community Development Chapter 21 Measuring Progress Part 4: Issues Impacting Community Development Chapter 22 Local Food Systems and Community Development Chapter 23 Clean Energy and Green Industries Chapter 24 Community Development Financial Resources Chapter 25 The Global Economy and Community Development Chapter 26 Conclusions and Observations on the Future of Community Development

    Biography

    Rhonda Phillips, Ph.D., AICP, is Dean of Purdue University’s Honors College, USA, and a Professor in the Agricultural Economics Department. Previously, at Arizona State University, USA, she served as Professor in the School of Community Resources and Development; Senior Sustainability Scientist at the Global Institute of Sustainability; and Affiliate Faculty in the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning. Rhonda is author or editor of 18 books, including Sustainable Communities: Creating a Durable Local Economy (Routledge Earthscan, 2013, co-editor). She is editor of the book series Community Development Research and Practice (Community Development Society and Routledge) and serves as the President of the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (www.isqols.org).

    Robert H. Pittman, Ph.D., PCED, is Founder and Executive Director of the Janus Institute and Janus Forum, USA, whose mission is to advance the community and economic development profession and help communities in new and innovative ways. Attendees include leading community and economic developers from around the country and overseas, state directors, corporate executives, and other stakeholders in community and economic development. Pittman has held a number of executive positions in the field of community and economic development, including Director of the Global Business Location and Economic Development Consulting Group at Lockwood Greene, USA, and Deputy Director of the International Development Research Council (now Corenet). He also served as Associate Professor of Economics and Director of the Community Development Institute at the University of Central Arkansas, USA. He is a widely published author and frequent speaker in the field of community and economic development, and a Honorary Life Member of the Southern Economic Development Council.