The contribution of sociologists to social action programs has been notable for being unnotable, with a few important exceptions. Yet the future and survival of sociology lies in moving sociology more obviously from the classroom to the world outside. Sociologists suffer from a restricted vision of what their discipline can do, which causes them…

This is the final report of one phase of a project to improve occupational education in communities changing from a predominately agrarian economy to a more industrialized, diversified economy. This phase of the project studied the extent to which the educational programs in the school system reflected changes appropriate to preparing persons for…

In this unit selected activities seek to bring preprimary children to an awareness that man lives in a social milieu, never static, never identical to that of yesterday or that of tomorrow, and rarely altered to the extent the casual observer initially believes. In dealing with continuity and change, the authors began with certain assumptions: 1)…

The theoretical differentiation of the village from the town is made on the basis of a complex of characteristics, which includes: the village was engaged mainly in agriculture; the culture, living conditions and organization of public services were far behind those of the town; the village did not exercise the functions of an administrative,…

This book contains 11 essays that compare economic and social conditions in Appalachia to those in rural regions of other countries. These rural, frequently mountainous, regions suffer similar economic problems due to their peripheral position in the national economies of their countries. Among the topics of particular educational interest are the…

Describes two Tanzanian reform programs: Education for Self-Reliance and Decentralization. The first supports programs to make education relevant to rural life, correct elitist biases, and improve students' attitudes toward rural living. The second, already instituted in primary and adult education, seeks to promote community participation in…

A 1993 survey of 500 households in rural Scotland, followed by 120 interviews, found that poverty was widespread; subjective assessments of poverty contradicted objective definitions in that people were satisfied with rural life; acceptance of government benefits was low; rental housing was scarce; employment opportunities were limited, especially…

An analysis of five funding competitions sponsored by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in the area of secondary special education and transitional services research found that the projects have not emphasized community-level change to facilitate lasting improvements in youths with disabilities and have not taken a…

Specific points of question and concern are presented in response to Stephen Fawcett's paper on community research and action values (EC 602 711). These include who decides on community intervention priorities? who should be the target of preventive interventions? and what about problems that cannot be solved with local resources? (JDD)

A community survey examined socioeconomic characteristics and community participation patterns in a rural Canadian area in which recreational cottages were being converted to full-time homes by urban retirees. Compared to long-time residents, "converters" were more likely to be older and more educated, to have no children at home, and to…

Census data were used to test various hypotheses about growing Latino concentration and economic deterioration in rural California communities and found factors related to both Latino inmigration and White outmigration. Public policy implications are discussed relative to improving ethnic relations and building human capital to support economic…

Examines social and economic inequalities in the United Kingdom. Demonstrates how children's welfare and family functioning are crucially dependent upon locally available social support. Argues that building social capital in poor communities is more effective in promoting children's welfare than is present emphasis on formal child-protection and…

Toward the end of the of the twentieth century, the idea that young people are social actors gained increasing predominance. Since then, there has been a growing recognition of young people's ability to understand and contribute to forming their environments. In this article, the authors discuss the state of youth participation in the United…

Working with communities of color to find solutions to the problems they face is a complex and challenging task. The "It Takes a Village" concept and the Transtheoretical Model of Change (Prochaska, Norcross, and DiClemente 1994) were used by the authors of this article in their work to empower clients of color to effect in their…

In changing economies, local leaders need guidance in collaborative, multicommunity approaches to problem solving. This book is comprised of three sections organized around the steps necessary to develop and manage a comprehensive leadership program. The first section describes the mechanics of organization. A series of questions is presented to…