This beginning paper attempts to explicate the myth of autonomy and individuality and the impact of this myth upon people in Western society. Focusing upon the work of the Dutch philosopher Gerrit Manenschijn, the authors briefly explore: (1) the history of autonomy as a myth as well as (2) how the West's monomythical culture shapes human…

Existing definitions of the relationship between community participation and community development are flawed because they concentrate on the failings of community development without analyzing why successful programs succeed. Community development is actually a form of community participation, and its success is determined by the role of the…

Strategic planning (SP), which has been used since the 1960s by business and industry, is now being used by schools, municipalities, universities, and even churches. SP is a process designed to assist groups in developing a custom-designed plan to meet the specific needs of their own organization or community. The following are five important…

In contrast to the traditional model of diffusion from the top down, an information-seeking model focuses on the individual who is looking for a source to meet an information need. The change agent's role involves organizing the community and assisting in finding information sources. (SK)

Outlines a practical application of Dillman's "synchronized survey model" within a community case study context. Presents step-by-step approach to integrating preference survey data with other data sources in development of a comprehensive land use plan. Considers problems and trade-offs of fitting a research process into practical…

Most city planners and governmental agencies are White and have a "laissez faire" attitude toward poor Blacks. Black citizens, professionals, city planners, and social change agents can and must play an active role in the Black community's self-planning efforts. (Author/MC)

Rural Africa includes some 80% of the African population; its people are poverty stricken, illiterate, ill-sheltered, and ill-nourished. These circumstances make rural development absolutely vital. However, past rural development policies have failed to take into consideration the structure and division of labor in the farm family, the traditional…