ABSTRACT
The title of this volume springs from an African proverb suggesting that the roles, responsibilities, and requirements of properly raising a child to adulthood extend beyond the reaches of the immediate family to include those in the community or neighborhood within which the child and the family are embedded. But, does it take a village to raise a child? Although it may have been true for peoples of the past, is the same true for families and communities of today? And if so, exactly how does a village effectively help raise a child? These questions lie at the heart of the current volume. They are particularly timely in light of the recent reformation of welfare and other social programs, the continual flow of international immigration and the growth of ethnic enclaves, and an economic boom that has largely bypassed many of the poor in America. Indeed, as we move into the 21st century, the villages and neighborhoods that house the poor and disenfranchised will be tested and called on to do even more for their residents.
