Understanding Community

Politics, policy and practice

This topical text provides students with a clear understanding of policy and theory in relation to community. By examining areas of government policy this book explores the difficulties that communities face, discusses new concepts and investigates what ‘community’ might mean in today’s diverse British society.

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Understanding community is a highly topical text offering a clear understanding of policy and theory in relation to community. By examining areas of government policy, such as economic development, education, health, housing, and community safety, this book explores the difficulties that communities face and discusses new concepts such as community cohesion, social capital and community capacity building. Somerville challenges our understanding of community, both social and conceptual, and assesses the strengths and limitations of this understanding.

This book is essential for students studying social policy, social work and sociology, and an invaluable resource for policymakers in community development, urban regeneration and allied fields.

Peter Somerville is Professor of Social Policy and Head of the Policy Studies Research Centre at the University of Lincoln, England. He has researched and published widely on issues of housing, policing, race equality, substance misuse, homelessness, cooperative enterprise and community governance.

Author/Editor details at time of book publication.