The author discusses ritual as a process of creating social frameworks through the mobilization of communal sentiment and purpose. He presents a case study in which the ritual process was applied by an external change agent to develop social partnerships and local support for the establishment of a community center. (SK)

Discusses the increased interest in community development and the support for community-development training. Describes community-development training aimed at practitioners in the professional sector and at public servants in the bureaucratic sector. (JOW)

O'Gorman provides "Five Points for Reflection" on nongovernmental and community organizations in Brazil. Speyer and Tedrus discuss "Community Libraries: An Experience in Community Development in the Periphery of Sao Paulo." (SK)

This paper describes an education project to train religious leaders in Cleveland's inner city to become community advocates and change agents. Includes results of a followup survey of participants indicating how their acquired skills are benefitting the community. (SK)

A community water supply project in Cameroon illustrates the following constraints on community participation in development: paternalistic authorities, prescriptive role of the state, selective participation, bias toward "hard" issues, inattention to negative results, group conflicts, gatekeeping, pressure for immediate results,…

Social services in China are provided primarily by local street offices and residents' committees, both serving as mechanisms for social and political control. Improvements in community development are dependent on professional training and separation from political education and mobilization. (SK)

Includes "The Case of Western Europe: Integration and Change in the EEC--The Fortress and the Excluded" (Conroy); "The Case of Eastern Europe: Why Community Development Still Has to Find a Role in Hungary" (Tausz); and "The Case of the Third World: People's Self-Development (Rahman). (SK)

Neighborhood service organizations such as Detroit's Hartford Memorial Baptist Church, Franklin Wright Settlements, and Warren/Conner Development Coalition have developed leadership and mobilized resources for collective action. Neighborhoods served by exceptional organizations contrast sharply with surrounding areas in decline. (SK)

An action learning project for neighborhood regeneration in Coventry, England, showed that differences of power and viewpoint were inevitable and essential. More open networks enabling communication among community groups were needed. Funding for community networking needed to go beyond short-term projects supported by the current policy agenda.…

An urban renewal program in preunification Berlin involved self-help projects and a community school. The program demonstrated a holistic approach to urban regeneration and showed that the success of participatory community processes depends on community education. (SK)

Women participating in grassroots community development in Chile received financial aid, training, and technical assistance in housing, repair and community organization. Relationships and gender played a powerful role in community change. However, their experiences illustrated the constraints on local action. (Contains 31 references.) (SK)

Describes the organization of a successful community protest against road construction in an Oxford (England) neighborhood and identifies success factors: coalitions with other interest groups; intensive, sustained lobbying; investment in public meetings, exhibitions, and demonstrations; use of local and national media; and involvement of…

Describes a recent community education pilot scheme organized by Islington Adult Education Institute in North London. Also discusses the process of learning in adults, economic factors affecting a neighborhood, criticisms of community work, the "process" view of learning, and the challenge for adult educators. (CT)

Discusses various aspects of community work in Australia: national context, consensus politics, early community work, literature and training, current trends in Australian community work, localist programs, and community work politics. (CT)

Examines two central community work training areas in France--courses offering training in "animation" and social work courses. Also identifies three areas significant for community work training: community centers, postprofessional training, and social services. (CT)