This project was part of the May 2020 Textbook Success Program cohort.
Community isn’t just geographic space, although it certainly can be. Like the concept of “home” it can be emotional, or both geographic and emotional. There are virtual communities, communities of people who similarly identify based on several facets and find a safe space to express group affiliation. When we think about community, we must ask ourselves, what are the nutrients that a thriving community needs to grow and develop?
Case Studies in Community Psychology Practice: A Global Lens attempts to answer this question. This Open Educational Resource (OER) highlights community practitioner stories as they share their valuable work. Readers will engage with the narratives and lived experiences of how practitioners are “changing the world, one community at a time.”
Using case stories, the OER takes the reader through core concepts, questions, methods, arguments, theories, and practice of community psychology—a subfield of psychology devoted to the study of an individual’s influence on the community, and the community’s influence on the individual. The discipline of community psychology is ideal for using case study teaching because of numerous practitioners who work with communities and members all over the world—fostering healing and well-being! By focusing on the community psychologist as practitioner, the case studies provide a glimpse into how students can carry out their work in diverse and complex communities. At heart, this book demonstrates the power of OER: to inspire and motivate others to get out and change the world!
Happy reading and discovery of community psychology practice! Look for future reviews and book updates, and let us know if you adopt or use this OER in your classes or community.