MAIS 604: Planning and Action for Community Change (Rev. 1) Report a Broken Link

Master of Arts—Integrated Studies 604: Planning and Action for Community Change is a graduate course delves into the underlying intellectual traditions of community studies and introduces students to the realities of community practice. The central idea of the course is that planning for action, particularly action resulting in community change, is something to be desired in a society that values rationality. In this course we draw on a number of academic disciplines that provide a theoretical as well as practical basis for understanding change at the community level. We apply planning theory from traditions of sociology, political science, and psychology to real organizations in local communities, using theories of practice of community social work and action research.

Unit 1


Selection from Part II: "International Review of Community Development: Theory and Practice," by Hubert Campfens, in Community Development Around the World (pp. 25–40)
Friedmann, J. 1987. "Preface." Planning in the public domain. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Unit 2


Section C, "Kindling Community Capacity: Onward Willow," by Ray Peters and Gary Cameron, with "Case Study: Onward Willow, Guelph," by Jassy Narayan and Jim Vanderwoerd, of Chapter 2 of Part III of Community Development Around the World (pp. 77–90)
Alinsky, S. 1989. “Chapter 1: The purpose.” In Rules for radicals: A practical primer for realistic radicals. New York: Vintage Books, pp. 3–23.

Unit 4


Section B, “The Entre Nous Femmes Housing Society, Vancouver: Single Parent Women and Community Economic Development,” by Leslie Stern, Leslie Kemp, and Michael Clague, of Chapter 2 of Part III of Community Development Around the World (pp. 63–77)
Banks, K., & Mangan, Marshall. (1999). "Forging a collaborative research strategy," In The company of neighbours: Revitalizing community through action research. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Unit 5


Section D, "The Quebec Experience," by André Jacob and Gérald Doré, of Chapter 2 of Part III of Community Development Around the World (pp. 90–101)
Alinsky, S. 1989. “Chapter 1: The purpose.” In Rules for radicals: A practical primer for realistic radicals. New York: Vintage Books, pp. 3–23.

Supplementary Readings and Links


David, Gerson.

(1993). Strategies for grass roots human development. Social Development Issues, 15(2), pp. 1–13.

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Robichaud, Suzie.  (2003, Autumn). Social work and social networks. Canadian Social Work, 5(1), 80–87.

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