ABSTRACT
While the chapters in this book are diverse, they all underscore the extent to which historical and contemporary forces complicate our understanding of community and community development. The pace of change on the ground has far exceeded that of both academic theory and professional practice. Our task in this chapter is to sketch a framework for thinking and acting critically in the diverse settings that are today’s communities. In particular, we emphasize the importance of the relationship between community, community development, and democracy. The principal goal of this chapter will be to suggest ways that community development scholars and practitioners can better facilitate a dialogue between abstract theoretical and ideological lenses and what Harvey (1996) terms the concrete, localized ‘structure of feeling’ inherent in lived experience. By strengthening this linkage, scholars and practitioners can foster democratic governance that helps communities address critical problems and issues.
