Community Theory: Current Perspectives and Future Directions

Abstract

Recently, a variety of debates and discussions (particularly occurring during and after the Community Development Society and Rural Sociological Society meetings in 2006) concerning the current state of community theory have pointed to the need to explore the issue more systematically. In response, this special issue of Community Development. Journal of the Community Development Society brings together a wide range of theoretical and empirical articles that expand our theoretical understanding of community in contemporary life. Despite clear differences in methodological approaches and theoretical viewpoints, the authors of this special issue are united in their focus on the community as the key to understanding change and social well-being. For many scholars, the study of community and community development are at a crossroads. Previously dynamic theories appear not to have kept pace with major social changes of our day. Indeed, as one set of contributors (Goodsell, et al.) contend: Do the new economic realities of globalization demand a new conceptualization of community, and in particular, how community is experienced (p. 19)? To their question, we might also add: how is community conceptualized and measured? Given our constantly shifting social reality, we need new ideas and research that pushes the boundaries of our extant community theories. Making such a claim does not necessarily mean a wholesale abandonment of existing theories and methods; it does however imply they must be adapted to new social realities. An ongoing and open discussion regarding the current state of community theory can only benefit community scholars and practitioners. An initial foray into this discussion was launched in a series of special paper sessions at both the 2007 Community Development Society and Rural Sociological Society annual meetings. The special sessions were organized to present and discuss emerging theoretical approaches and applications to community and community development. Many of the papers presented in those sessions appear in this special issue. As is the case in any field of inquiry, this special issue also emerged out of the often contentious debates and provincialism that stem from our professional passions for our own theoretical perspectives. However, when certain theoretical perspectives become too institutionalized into a discipline, in essence becoming a de facto orthodoxy, they may hinder progressive debates by inadvertently playing a gate-keeping function within our professional societies and journals. Orthodoxies do little to foster constructive dialogue both within a perspective itself and with differing ones. Thus, the contributors to this special issue are working to: 1) Stretch the traditional boundaries and applications of the well established theories (interactional theory, social capital), or 2) To establish new theoretical beachheads that look to other approaches and raise new questions about our current perspectives in an effort to better understand contemporary community and community development. Both approaches are invaluable to an on going discussion and the vitality of community studies. Additionally, a vibrant and on going discussion of community theory will check criticisms that rural and community studies are nothing more than empirically driven off-casts of other disciplines. It will also better focus our research endeavors, and program and policy initiatives at the community level, thus more effectively contributing to the development of our communities. It is our hope that this special issue will contribute to further opening the dialogue among community scholars and practitioners and serve as a catalyst for advancing community theory. Finally, we dedicate this special issue of Community Development. Journal of the Community Development Society to Ted Bradshaw, a leading community theorist and practitioner who, in 2006, left us far too early. Ted was widely known and respected for his research, teaching, and service throughout the community development field and for his firm foundation in community theory. …