Module SOCI51315: Community Development and Organising

Department: Sociology

SOCI51315: Community Development and Organising

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• to examine critically the concept of ‘community’ and its relationship to community development work and community organising in the UK and internationally;
• to examine and critically evaluate a range of theoretical and practical approaches to community development and community organising.

Content

• critical analysis of the concept of 'community';
• the origins of community work, including community development and community organising in the UK and internationally;
• theoretical approaches to community development and community organising;
• contemporary forms of community development and community organsing, including in international development work and as part of social work practice;
• community and public policy - the rise of 'community practice' and the implications for community development and organising;
• the role of community development and organising in promoting community empowerment, neighbourhood regeneration, environmental justice and tackling social exclusion;
• the practice of community work, including critical pedagogy and radical community organising models;
• the politics and ethics of community development work, including ethical challenges faced by practitioners;
• examination of key areas of practice including community audits, community partnerships, evaluation of community development.

Learning Outcomes

• to gain a critical understanding of the origins of community development and community organising and current theoretical and practical approaches.

• Ability to articulate the contested nature of ‘community’ and the role of community development and community organising in working for social change;
• Ability to reflect on own role in a group, and how power is deployed and roles assigned.

• Ability to relate theory to practice;
• Ability to synthesise information;
• Ability to work in groups

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lectures, seminars, group discussions, student presentations and a field visit.
• Lectures offer an overview of key issues and debates, drawing on relevant literature, and helping to develop theoretical understanding and knowledge.
• Work in small groups, use of group exercises and the formative assignment contribute to the learning outcomes by giving students experience of group work, preparing an oral presentation, the opportunity to reflect on their own contributions, use of power, ethical issues and giving and receiving feedback to other students.
• Reading and preparation for the formative presentation and for the essay encourages students to learn about a particular topic in more depth, to engage with critiques and approaches in the literature and to apply theory to practice.
• The field visit enables students to visit community-based projects in a neighbourhood and relate theory to practice. Transport is provided by accessible minibus. The venue we visit is wheelchair accessible and the ‘walk’ can be undertaken by people in wheelchairs. Anyone with other mobility problems can choose to stay in one of the project venues visited.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

A seminar presentation of a key concept, with peer group and tutor feedback to each individual student. Students choose one of a list of key concepts linked to the teaching sessions. These are relevant to the summative assignment essay titles and will help students prepare for the summative, in that the exercise familiarises them with community development literature, concepts and arguments, which are relevant regardless of the essay title chosen.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University