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Community development depends on effective social action, and effective social action requires the acquisition of related knowledge and skills. While other studies of community development stress the role of economic and political factors, Hamilton develops an educational model for promoting change within the community. The focus of the study is not so much on formal education, but on the role of nonformal education in fostering community development. Hamilton argues that through effective adult education, citizens can be empowered to improve their communities. His argument is grounded on a theoretical model that recognizes the intrinsic motivation of many adult citizens to improve their surroundings and which acknowledges that motivation must be matched with information.
The book begins with an overview and analysis of the conceptual, operational, and theoretical dimensions of adult education and the development of communities. The chapters that follow discuss issues ranging from theories of social change to the identification of community needs. At the heart of the work is a description and analysis of an educational community development model that can be modified to suit the needs and philosophies of particular groups. Anyone interested in urban studies or education will find Hamilton's book unique, insightful, and inspiring.
List of contents
Foreword by William D. Dowling
Preface
Adult Education and Social Change
Concepts and Principles of Education and Development
Community Control and Local Participation
Identifying and Assessing Community Needs
Organizing the Community
A Community Development Model and Approaches
The Challenge To Serve Minority Groups
Bibliography
Index
About the author
EDWIN HAMILTON is Graduate Professor in the School of Education at Howard University. An authority on adult and continuing education, he has contributed to the Handbook of Adult and Continuing Education (1989), Education of the African American Adult: An Historical Overview (Greenwood, 1990), and The Effective School Administrator (1990). His articles have appeared in numerous journals, including Journal of Negro Education, Graduate Studies Journal, Adult Literacy and Basic Education, and International Journal of Student Personnel.
Summary
Community development depends on effective social action, and effective social action requires the acquisition of related knowledge and skills. While other studies of community development stress the role of economic and political factors, Hamilton develops an educational model for promoting change within the community.
