(2021). Editorial notes. Community Development: Vol. 52, No. 1, pp. 1-3.

ABSTRACT While often pursued as a desirable state for a society or community, group cohesion can be a double-edged sword. When it comes to Community-Driven Development (CDD), in which community members are expected to collaborate to ensure their co-prosperity, group cohesion would be a matter of not only “WHETHER or not it is needed” but also “WHEN/WHERE/HOW MUCH it is needed”. This study examines

ABSTRACT Increasing health inequalities and entrenched social problems demands systemic change that challenges the status quo of current programs and policies and enhances intersectorial collaboration between government, service providers, and communities. Collective Impact (CI) is one approach aimed to support local communities solve complex and systemic problems. A case study design is used to describe

ABSTRACT This study explored to examine the potential impacts of population change and processes associated with urban development and land use changes on damage levels due to Hurricane Harvey in the greater Houston area. Results from linear mixed effects modeling suggested that certain social and demographic aspects of urbanization such as population growth, increase in the number of housing units

ABSTRACT Volunteers add public value to the communities where they live and work leading to changes in community conditions. This study assessed volunteers’ beliefs about perceived public value in the Extension 4-H Youth Development Program (YDP). Research results document Extension 4-H volunteers take active leadership roles, which leads to public value in communities. There is a direct application

ABSTRACT This paper presents the development of a Community Development Participation Scale (CDPS) to be yieldingly administered and useful to community development researchers in measuring the level of participation of people in community development activities. This instrument was administered as a development and validation study to a sample of women from rural communities in Ghana (N= 210). After

ABSTRACT The field of community development has grown substantially over the past few decades. This is characterized by an increased demand for professionals who can engage in community development efforts and assist in establishing impactful solutions to community issues. This increased demand has created a need for robust Community Development Education programs in higher education to educate community

ABSTRACT Religious and social participation and neighborhood factors have been associated with health outcomes. Because depression and physical health problems are common among mothers, we sought to understand whether participation would be associated with more favorable health outcomes when accounting for neighborhood factors: disorder, social cohesion, and informal social control. Using Fragile Families

(2020). Editorial notes. Community Development: Vol. 51, No. 5, pp. 437-438.

ABSTRACT The United States is poised to experience one of the largest transfers of leadership in its history, markedly impacting rural community sustainability efforts. The purpose of this exploratory sequential mixed methods study was to identify themes related to rural leadership transfer using grounded theory and to test the facilitation of effective leadership transfer using structural equation

ABSTRACT This paper explores continuing education and employment generation in Ghana. It places emphasis on entrepreneurship, and how continuing education could help students’ create jobs. It used Bachelor of Administration final year students at Accra Learning Center as a unit of analysis. It is a qualitative study which sought to understand, determine the range of responses, and secure deeper insights

ABSTRACT In recent decades, cities have experienced dwindling state resources and growing socioeconomic inequalities—many scholars have identified this change as neoliberalism. Although these changes have generated much debate, not a lot of scholarship has tried to present alternatives. This article uses the Westside Leadership Institute (WLI) in Salt Lake City, Utah, as a case study to understand

ABSTRACT Most of the literature and other publications on CBOs assume that they speak the voices and pursue the interests of the communities they claim to represent. While acknowledging the transformative work of some of them, recent studies have portrayed CBOs as forces of social control and poverty management. This paper reports the findings of a study examining the trajectory of CBOs in Pilsen,

ABSTRACT Community-based coalitions seek to distribute leadership and decision-making broadly among participants to build capacity for improving local conditions. This is often difficult to achieve, however, due to a variety of structural and contextual factors. This study examines variance in decision-making influence among participants in 40 county-level substance abuse prevention coalitions. Participants’

ABSTRACT The idea of the capacity to aspire (CtA) has recently been used in attempts to incorporate cultural and psychological factors into political and economic theories of community development. When integrated with capabilities and capital assets approaches, CtA can be used to explain psychological and cultural development traps, but may be incomplete in its formulation. Through a theoretical discussion

ABSTRACT Wide eyes, a face of surprise, hesitantly asking: “why here?” This is a typical reaction to new international students who come to study in the central agricultural region of the U.S. Stereotypical images have made the central U.S. to be perceived as merely “flyover states” to many people, and surprising destinations when chosen for study, relocation, or even travel. For many who are from

ABSTRACT There is growing recognition of the relevance of political mobilization in educational, social and community work, particularly when working with people in situations of vulnerability. However, there is also a scarcity of research that describes and explains professionals’ political involvement and mobilization and allows them to share their activist experiences, to inspire others and legitimate

ABSTRACT In Nigeria, non-farm livelihood activities are becoming rampant in agrarian communities, thereby reducing land capacity to support agriculture. This study examines effect of non-farm livelihoods on agricultural land. A multi-sampling technique was used to sample160 rural households. Soil samples, Geographic Information System (GIS) coordinates and Landsat images were obtained. Data were subjected

ABSTRACT Many public-sector programs are focused on economic development in rural areas, but few are formally evaluated. One often-overlooked component of effective rural development is the generation of local sales tax revenue, which helps fund city amenities and services. This paper evaluates whether the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Business and Industry (B&I) Loan Guarantee program

ABSTRACT The Indonesian agricultural sector provides a high proportion of employment for the rural community. However, the farmers’ livelihood is relatively low. Sending the farmers to non-formal education will enhance the livelihood of the community. In this study, we analyze the impact of farmer field school on Indonesia’s rural community livelihoods. Data were collected using a participatory approach

ABSTRACT Despite their substantial contribution to economies, little is known about how entrepreneurs of color in rural areas leverage resources to start ventures. This study examined the experiences of these entrepreneurs in securing information and financial capital at startup. Using the Community Capital Framework as an analytical tool, we take a systems approach to highlight the influence of contextual

ABSTRACT One in five children suffers from mental illness, yet estimates suggest that for various reasons, 50%-70% of these children are not receiving sufficient care. This study examines how mental illness stigma and parents’ help-seeking for their children interact with community social capital and demographic factors. Parents (N = 104) of children ages three to eight in the Northeastern USA completed

ABSTRACT The changing structure of agriculture strains the historically close relationship between commodity agriculture and rural development. Meanwhile, growth in consumer interest for differentiated, value-added products has the potential to create community economic development opportunities. However, the evidence regarding the benefit of value-added programs for broader community wealth is mixed

ABSTRACT Social participation is considered as an aspect of social capital that creates opportunities of gathering with people in the neighborhood influencing health and wellbeing positively. However, few studies emphasize that it can operate in multiple dimensions within a community and that it can impact on health and wellbeing variably. Applying the theory of complexity, this study highlights that

ABSTRACT The paper draws on the Community Capitals Framework to frame and analyze the process of rural women’s empowerment through agricultural interventions in two districts of Ethiopia. A blend of qualitative data collection methods comprising group discussions, life histories, and key informant interviews was used. Our study shows that investing in social, human, financial, cultural, natural, physical

ABSTRACT In a time when funding for small communities is limited, an analysis of investment strategy is critical. Façade improvement grant programs are thought to spur spillover of both direct and indirect investment in downtown districts by leveraging built capital and harnessing a sense of place. Through case study, with interviews and observational analysis, we empirically analyze this phenomenon

ABSTRACT The recent establishment of community government as a distinct, but coordinating level of government in Nigeria came with the high expectation that it would facilitate adequate transfer of statutory powers, responsibilities, and finances to various communities for community-driven development. However, the underdevelopment situation of most of the communities seemingly appears to have dashed

ABSTRACT Social bonds have been a focus in understanding community attachment. Community context is also critical to fostering community attachment. While community context assessed by objective measures such as population size and density has been linked to community attachment, the effects of both objective context and subjective context measured by individuals’ perceptions of community context on

ABSTRACT Economic re-localization is widely viewed as a principal mechanism for bringing greater autonomy, democracy, justice, prosperity, and general wellness to communities. Entrepreneurial initiatives that are bounded to the localized scale are a fundamental element of the underlying localism movement. The current study uses a set of theoretical constructs pulled from everyday sociology (reflexivity

ABSTRACT This paper examines the research and conceptual literature about the role of faith-based organizations in community development. For the most part, there are relatively few community development studies about faith-based community development groups. This qualitative study explores two research explorations: First, how do Christian faith-based community development organizations in Kentucky

ABSTRACT The destructive Queensland fruit fly (QFF), known to attack export varieties of New Zealand grown primary horticultural produce was discovered in February 2015 in the suburb of Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand, resulting in a biosecurity crisis. Invasion ecology theory was used to understand measures put in place by the authorities in the community to control its spread. Community members

ABSTRACT Women’s participation in community development projects is now essential as it helps to promote inclusive development and decentralized development planning. This paper assesses the perceived benefits and barriers to women’s participation in ecotourism development and their implications for community planning at the Kakum Conservation Area (KCA). Using questionnaires, a total of 169 women

ABSTRACT Young people (ages 15-25) are globally the largest and fastest growing segment of the population. While youth increase in number, the challenge and opportunity facing communities around the world is to create meaningful avenues for youth participation in civic, economic and academic life. This article presents a research narrative describing a youth participatory action research program implemented

ABSTRACT Evaluation metrics that assess the impacts of Cooperative Extensionprogramming focus on quantifiable indicators that may overlookbroader community-level changes. This study addresses this by usingthe “spiraling up” theory of change and Ripple Effect Mapping to assesshow volunteers build Cooperative Extension’s communitydevelopment capacity. Focusing on Family and Consumer Scienceagents and

ABSTRACT This study is a first step in analyzing, on a national scale in Mexico, the assets, income and vulnerability context of households in rural communities. A multinomial logit model was used to show the impact of family labor, education, indigenous status, climate change, and access to markets on the probability of belonging to the different categories of households with diverse sustainable livelihoods

ABSTRACT This paper introduces the concept of digital parity – similar levels of connectivity, devices, and skills between groups – that can lead to more digital inclusive communities. Utilizing a household survey measuring digital inclusiveness and ANOVA analysis, findings suggest that there are different levels of digital inclusiveness between groups. Differences in internet use and benefits are

ABSTRACT Changes in rural service provision have been shaped by a shift from state to private and nonprofit service delivery, driven by a neo-liberal policy orientation. As senior governments continue to offload the delivery of services to nonprofit stakeholders in rural regions, state policies often fail to address deficiencies with aging and inappropriate built capital assets. The infrastructure

ABSTRACT Collective efficacy theory is a widely used theoretical framework for explaining how social cohesion is activated as collective actions. Because collective efficacy was developed as a criminological theory, the majority of collective efficacy research focuses on the relationship between social cohesion and informal social control. Conceptually, social cohesion can be activated as civic participation

ABSTRACT Sustainable Local Economic Development has been an emerging approach to economic development for more than a decade, with the goal of enhancing economic, social, and environmental sustainability. As practitioners seek and implement sustainable economic development projects, an indicator framework is needed to ensure these projects are contributing to the sustainability of the community. The

ABSTRACT This study examines the link between political capital and climate change adaptation, and tests the relationship among political capital, social capital, and human capital. Political capital is studied through power distribution, voice, and connection in three rural villages in Java, Indonesia. This study finds that rural communities with a more distributed power structure are more likely

ABSTRACT Article proposes a typology of underdeveloped communities in Croatia based on types ofsocial change and dimensions of the community. The research isdesigned as a cross-case analysis with seven municipalities 10 represented by 29 experts in total. Three types of underdeveloped communities are recognized: latent communities have solid social fabric but do not have mobilized formal structures

ABSTRACT Childcare is a critical issue for working families in the United States; however childcare needs in the agriculture sector have been absent from both childcare and agricultural policy discussions. This study empirically examines the relationship between childcare, the farm business, and the farm family while probing larger questions related to quality of life, labor market outcomes, and the

ABSTRACT The desire to grow a tax base often compels local governments to compete and cooperate simultaneously with nearby jurisdictions. Managing interjurisdictional relations is an important role of administrative officers. While scholars have expressed concern about the dominance of masculine imagery and the underrepresentation of women in public administration, gender’s role in interjurisdictional

ABSTRACT Race matters in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For centuries racial inequality has divided the city into two separate cities. In the summer of 2016, Baton Rouge experienced a series of events that heightened racial division. First was the killing of an unarmed black man, Alton Sterling, by two white police officers as he sold CDs outside of a local convenience store. Second was the shooting of three

ABSTRACT The Community Capitals Framework (CCF) has become a significant part of the study of community development, and scholars have used this framework to explore numerous avenues of development. In this paper, we argue that quantification of the CCF’s social assets (human, social, cultural, and political capitals) is important for initial assessment of prospective communities for economic development

The Infinite Desire for Growth, by noted French economist Daniel Cohen, is an easy-to-read romp through economic history to consider a current reality: economic growth no longer promises a rising t...

ABSTRACT This study applies the comprehensive wealth framework (CWF) to assess the impacts of the Bakken shale oil boom on the wellbeing of people in North Dakota. In particular, we consider how investment in shale oil and gas production has affected financial and natural capital and how in-migrants and commuters have affected the region’s social, built, and human capital. We conclude that much of

ABSTRACT Primary data collection that is generalizable and applicable on a large scale would benefit gentrification research, as more stakeholders’ perspectives could be gathered. Thus, an instrument measuring gentrification worldview was constructed and tested for inter-item relationships, through survey pretesting, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. The Gentrification

ABSTRACT Placemaking is a form of public engagement that impacts community development by building social capital, motivating public policy, and shaping real estate development. Popular across public-focused industries, placemaking permeates strategies for community development. This project seeks to elucidate the extent to which community development-centered institutions engage in placemaking and

ABSTRACT Cross-sector partnerships, and collective impact, in particular, have gained increased attention as community-level strategies for tackling wicked, complex, social challenges such as child maltreatment. To date, there has been limited independent research on collective impact, especially in non-metropolitan areas with limited capacity. This case study examines the conditions that supported

ABSTRACT Comprehensive community initiatives integrating holistic educational approachs for children and families are vital to building and sustaining 100% high school graduation rate in a distressed urban setting. Despite numerous social, economic, and cultural barriers, the Rutgers-Camden University and LEAP Academy partnership has not only provided hundreds of children with a comprehensive education

ABSTRACT Throughout history, theater and the arts have been mediums to bond individuals and advance social change. Community theater has the added benefit of allowing nonprofessional thespians the opportunity to collaborate with each other, in pursuit of common goals, while advancing local capacity and individual wellbeing. To the extent that community theaters provide voluntary participants with a

ABSTRACT This paper studies creative possibilities of co-designing with the Makalani nut when crafting and jewelry manufacturing techniques meet. The study reflects on how the artisan craft of carving, based on a rich indigenous knowledge, and previously not yet included in the field of fine jewelry, could create new artifacts that could support selfemployment and income generation to the crafting

ABSTRACT In this paper, we introduce intersubjective ethics as an approach to ethical practice in community-based research. We argue for the need to think of ethics as an evolving process that is inseparable from the research endeavor, and that dwells on relationships and dialogs among researchers and community members. At the core of our approach is “intersubjectivity” and the related notions of “critical

ABSTRACT This study critically examines the racial dynamics of Christian community development efforts. I use the Christian Community Development Association’s (CCDA) practice of relocation (the process by which middle to upper-income individuals intentionally relocate to low-income neighborhoods for community partnership) as my entry-point to this discussion. The intent of this project is twofold:

ABSTRACT Systems models can support community planning, and by engaging local government and community stakeholders, these models can be designed to capture a comprehensive but manageable range of key interests, concerns, and values. This study explores a participatory approach for designing a community systems modeling exercise. The research involved convening focus groups of local government and

ABSTRACT When evaluating the practices of public participation, one should understand how the participatory process is conceived and implemented. Although many studies have been conducted in this regard, there is hardly a study that used Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the basis for evaluation. In this study, we examine the participatory process of a public participation practice in Indonesia

ABSTRACT Many community groups in rural Africa malfunction or collapse after external support has ended. The use of non-consultative and non-contextual approaches in the establishment and evaluation of community groups has been associated with limited understanding of group functionality. This paper uses the perspectives of group members to identify social and governance factors contributing to the

ABSTRACT As family structures continue to evolve, understanding how communities perceive these changes and influences on youth engagement is important. This study examined community leaders’ perceptions of rural youth engagement as influenced by family structural changes. Fifteen rural community leaders were interviewed, and data were analyzed thematically. Three major themes emerged: familial influence

ABSTRACT Rural wealth creation is a salient approach to local economic development. This paper advances the implementation of this practice by documenting how targeted business investments within a value chain built multiple forms of wealth. We provide exploratory evidence of how consideration of value chain gaps, wealth-building opportunities, potential for expansion, and an emphasis on improved livelihoods