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Community Psychology (community + psychology)
Selected AbstractsCommunity psychology: should there be a European perspective?JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 5 2001Donata Francescato In this era of globalisation community psychologists have to examine how globalisation patterns interact with local cultural norms, to find tools to promote a sense of community that fits a particular context. We cannot therefore acritically adopt for many European contexts, community psychology concepts and intervention strategies geared to USA values. The paper argues for the need to develop a European perspective in Community Psychology, built more on the European tradition of political concern for promoting social capital, besides an individual's freedom and autonomy. The paper attempts to identity some of the main differences that have emerged in the last decades between USA and European approaches to community psychology. It also describes two empowering tools, which integrate traditional and post modern views of science: community profiling and multidimensional organisational analysis, that have been used by European community psychologists to rebuild social capital in organisations and local communities. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Ranking institutional settings based on publications in community psychology journalsJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 8 2007Leonard A. Jason Two primary outlets for community psychology research, the American Journal of Community Psychology and the Journal of Community Psychology, were assessed to rank institutions based on publication frequency and scientific influence of publications over a 32-year period. Three specific periods were assessed (1973,1983, 1984,1994, 1995,2004). Findings indicate that there were a large group of institutions that published articles during these periods. Those academic institutions that had the most published articles as well as the largest influence, based on citations by other authors, were identified. Using archival data from the community psychology literature represents one approach for identifying those settings that made substantial contributions to the development and growth of the field. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 35: 967,979, 2007. [source] Community psychology, millennium volunteers and UK higher education: a disruptive triptych?,JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2002Paul S. Duckett Abstract In this paper I critically explore the ideological underpinnings of pedagogical and political practices in UK Higher Education (HE). I first map out the political and pedagogical features of community psychology and then describe the Millennium Volunteers project at the University of Northumbria,a scheme that integrates voluntary placements into undergraduate degree programmes, reflecting on the political and pedagogical premises upon which it is based. I consider the political context and recent social policy trends in UK HE. Through exploring the ideological underbellies of community psychology and Millennium Volunteers I describe the tensions created once both are situated within a HE student's learning and a lecturer's teaching portfolio. I reflect on how each appears to share similar wish lists but conclude that a surface comparison of the pedagogical practices of each can leave unrecognized serious ideological, ethical and political differences that can cause disruption at the interfaces of staff, students and HE institutions. I recommend making the political and ideological assumptions behind pedagogical practices and education policy initiatives more transparent to both students and lecturers alike and outline the reasons for doing so. I conclude by reflecting on implications for the widening access agenda in the present political climate from the standpoint of a community psychologist. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Community psychology: should there be a European perspective?JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 5 2001Donata Francescato In this era of globalisation community psychologists have to examine how globalisation patterns interact with local cultural norms, to find tools to promote a sense of community that fits a particular context. We cannot therefore acritically adopt for many European contexts, community psychology concepts and intervention strategies geared to USA values. The paper argues for the need to develop a European perspective in Community Psychology, built more on the European tradition of political concern for promoting social capital, besides an individual's freedom and autonomy. The paper attempts to identity some of the main differences that have emerged in the last decades between USA and European approaches to community psychology. It also describes two empowering tools, which integrate traditional and post modern views of science: community profiling and multidimensional organisational analysis, that have been used by European community psychologists to rebuild social capital in organisations and local communities. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Community feeling and social interest: Adlerian parallels, synergy and differences with the field of community psychologyJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2008Russell A. King Abstract The field of community psychology has generally elided the insights of depth psychology and the traditions of Freud, Adler and Jung. Implicitly rejecting the notion of the unconscious, community psychology favours conscious, pragmatic agency. Whereas depth psychology is commonly associated with treatment modalities, community psychology argues that psychotherapy is ultimately unnecessary when prevention strategies are adequately deployed. In the critical and community psychology literature psychotherapy is often derided as both ,individualistic' and inefficient. Adlerian psychology, which espouses a method of psychotherapy, nevertheless holds key points of synergy with community psychology. To distinguish the school from psychoanalysis Alfred Adler named his approach ,Individual Psychology', which could obscure its' social orientation. Like community psychologists, Adlerians similarly argue for a sense of cohesive community as crucial to mental health. They have also adopted an ecological holism as core epistemology, and argue for reducing the necessity of psychotherapy by working in tandem on community-based prevention strategies. The authors consider the rationale for community psychology's distance from the depth psychologies whilst arguing that the unconscious could, if engaged with analytically, provide the discourse with radical new insights. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The place and function of power in community psychology: philosophical and practical issuesJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2007Adrian T. Fisher Abstract Much of the training of psychologists in the western world follows a logical positivist, scientist-practitioner model based in scientific objectivity and removed from politics. In this paper, we explore issues around alternative understandings of the role and place of psychologists and psychological actions. In so doing, we discuss a number of issues of ontology, epistemology and pragmatics to demonstrate that the role and function of power in our society need to be addressed more directly and more politically in order for us to successfully achieve our roles as community psychologists. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Interrogating power: the case of arts and mental health in community projectsJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2007Rebecca Lawthom Abstract In this paper, we use the multi-dimensional model of power to interrogate arts and mental health community based projects. Using data retrospectively gathered during a series of participative evaluations, we re-analyse the data focusing on the ways in which power is located and negotiated across levels of analysis and multiple ecological domains. Evidence from the evaluations is richly presented illustrating power at the micro, meso and macro level. Whilst the model offers a rich reading of power, it is difficult to operationalize historically. Moreover, the static nature of the model fails to adequately capture the multiplicity of sometimes polar positions adopted. Engaging in a particular framework of community psychology, we argue that this project may be seen as part of a wider prefigurative action research agenda. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Community as practice: social representations of community and their implications for health promotionJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2007Christine Stephens Abstract Health promotion researchers and practitioners have increasingly turned to community-based approaches. Although there has been much work around the diverse understandings of the term in areas such as community psychology and sociology, I am concerned with how such understandings relate directly to community health research and practice. From a discursive perspective ,community' is seen as a socially constructed representation that is used variously and pragmatically. However, from a wider view, community can be seen as a matter of embodied practice. This paper draws on social representations theory to examine the shifting constructions of ,community', the functional use of those understandings in social life, and the practices that suggest that it is important to attend to their use in particular contexts. Accordingly, the paper argues that meanings of community in the health promotion or public health context must be seen as representations used for specific purposes in particular situations. Furthermore, the broader notion of embodied practice in social life has implications for community participation in health promotion. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Community psychology, millennium volunteers and UK higher education: a disruptive triptych?,JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2002Paul S. Duckett Abstract In this paper I critically explore the ideological underpinnings of pedagogical and political practices in UK Higher Education (HE). I first map out the political and pedagogical features of community psychology and then describe the Millennium Volunteers project at the University of Northumbria,a scheme that integrates voluntary placements into undergraduate degree programmes, reflecting on the political and pedagogical premises upon which it is based. I consider the political context and recent social policy trends in UK HE. Through exploring the ideological underbellies of community psychology and Millennium Volunteers I describe the tensions created once both are situated within a HE student's learning and a lecturer's teaching portfolio. I reflect on how each appears to share similar wish lists but conclude that a surface comparison of the pedagogical practices of each can leave unrecognized serious ideological, ethical and political differences that can cause disruption at the interfaces of staff, students and HE institutions. I recommend making the political and ideological assumptions behind pedagogical practices and education policy initiatives more transparent to both students and lecturers alike and outline the reasons for doing so. I conclude by reflecting on implications for the widening access agenda in the present political climate from the standpoint of a community psychologist. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Community psychology: should there be a European perspective?JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 5 2001Donata Francescato In this era of globalisation community psychologists have to examine how globalisation patterns interact with local cultural norms, to find tools to promote a sense of community that fits a particular context. We cannot therefore acritically adopt for many European contexts, community psychology concepts and intervention strategies geared to USA values. The paper argues for the need to develop a European perspective in Community Psychology, built more on the European tradition of political concern for promoting social capital, besides an individual's freedom and autonomy. The paper attempts to identity some of the main differences that have emerged in the last decades between USA and European approaches to community psychology. It also describes two empowering tools, which integrate traditional and post modern views of science: community profiling and multidimensional organisational analysis, that have been used by European community psychologists to rebuild social capital in organisations and local communities. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Development of a measure of sense of community for individuals with serious mental illness residing in community settingsJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Greg Townley The psychological sense of community is one of the most commonly investigated constructs in community psychology. Sense of community may be particularly important for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) because they often face societal barriers to participation in community living, including stigma and discrimination. To date, no published studies have investigated the psychometric qualities of sense of community measures among individuals with SMI. The current study tested a series of confirmatory factor analyses using the Brief Sense of Community Index (Long & Perkins, 2003) in a sample of 416 persons with SMI living in community settings to suggest a model of sense of community for individuals with SMI and other disabilities. The resulting scale, the Brief Sense of Community Index-Disability, demonstrated good model fit and construct validity. Implications are discussed for how this scale may be used in research investigating community integration and adaptive functioning in community settings. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Reflections on "Real-World" community psychology,JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 5 2008Tom Wolff Reflections on the history of real-world (applied) community psychologists trace their participation in the field's official guild, the Society for Community Research and Action (SCRA), beginning with the Swampscott Conference in 1965 through the current date. Four benchmarks are examined. The issues these real-world psychologists bring to the field include academic and community legitimacy, community psychology as an interdisciplinary field, and politics and advocacy. Challenges these issues create among community psychologists,real-world and academic,are briefly addressed. These reflections end with a vision of the future of community psychology that includes a strong recommitment to social change and social justice. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Personal lineages and the development of community psychology: 1965 to 2005JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 5 2008Patrick J. Fowler The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to examine and document the role of personal influence in the history of community psychology, and (b) to measure the field's inclusion of traditionally marginalized populations. In addition to presenting visually the genealogy of community psychology, results suggest that people have mattered in the development of the field independently from intellectual influence. Furthermore, community psychology has become more inclusive of ethnic minorities and women in positions of authority. Yet, representation of real-world community psychologists appears to have stalled. Implications of findings on interventions to increase representation are discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Racism in organizations: The case of a county public health departmentJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 3 2007Derek M. Griffith Racism is part of the foundation of U.S. society and institutions, yet few studies in community psychology or organizational studies have examined how racism affects organizations. This paper proposes a conceptual framework of institutional racism, which describes how, in spite of professional standards and ethics, racism functions within organizations to adversely affect the quality of services, the organizational climate, and staff job satisfaction and morale. Grounded in systems theory and organizational empowerment, the framework is based on data that describe how racism was made manifest in a county public health department. The findings highlight the importance of understanding how organizations are influenced by external forces and can negatively affect clients, communities, and their own staff members. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Support for military families and communitiesJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2007Lisa Tsoi Hoshmand This is a call for community psychologists to engage in research, consultation, and program development and evaluation in supporting military families and communities. Barriers to such involvement are identified and discussed. It is argued that the needs of military families and communities cannot be ignored when military and civilian communities alike are affected by changes in the geopolitical situation and the effects of increased deployment. Examples of previous work related to military families and communities that have implications for policy and practice are presented in relation to concepts and practices in community psychology. Specific research and community approaches are suggested for future needs assessment and program development in enhancing community capacity and family resilience. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Justice and local community change: Towards a substantive theory of justiceJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 6 2002Neil M. Drew Justice is a core principle in community psychology, yet has been the subject of relatively little systematic research. In the social psychological literature on the other hand there is a long tradition of research on justice in social life. In this article the potential benefits of integrating the social justice aspirations of community psychology and the conceptualizations of procedural and distributive justice from social psychology are discussed in the context of planned community change. The benefits of exploring justice in this way are illustrated with reference to a research project examining public perceptions of the fairness of roadside tree lopping. Although the issue may appear trivial, it was seen by the local residents as important. The results support the development, application, and utility of a social community psychology of justice to issues of community change. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||