Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Empowerment and disempowerment in community development practice
T2 - eight roles practitioners play
AU - Toomey, Anne Helen
PY - 2011/4
Y1 - 2011/4
N2 - In community development practice, practitioners and organizations play many different roles in the planning, implementation and diffusion of the ideas and projects that they seek to promote. Some of these roles can serve to empower communities, while others can result in their disempowerment. In this article, eight roles commonly played out in development practice are briefly examined through the lenses of empowerment and disempowerment. Four of these roles are recognized as being ‘traditional’ and four are identified as ‘alternative’. It is hoped that the exercise of examining several of the generalized roles that practitioners play will allow us to take a closer look at how theory impacts practice and, more importantly, at the potential of such practices to truly achieve their theoretical aspirations.
AB - In community development practice, practitioners and organizations play many different roles in the planning, implementation and diffusion of the ideas and projects that they seek to promote. Some of these roles can serve to empower communities, while others can result in their disempowerment. In this article, eight roles commonly played out in development practice are briefly examined through the lenses of empowerment and disempowerment. Four of these roles are recognized as being ‘traditional’ and four are identified as ‘alternative’. It is hoped that the exercise of examining several of the generalized roles that practitioners play will allow us to take a closer look at how theory impacts practice and, more importantly, at the potential of such practices to truly achieve their theoretical aspirations.
U2 - 10.1093/cdj/bsp060
DO - 10.1093/cdj/bsp060
M3 - Journal article
VL - 46
SP - 181
EP - 195
JO - Community Development Journal
JF - Community Development Journal
SN - 1468-2656
IS - 2
ER -