The UK's coalition government wants to build a "Big Society." The Prime Minister says "we are all in this together" and building it is the responsibility of every citizen as well as every government department. The broad vision is welcome, but everything depends on how the vision is translated into policy and practice. The…

Deborah Daro and Kenneth Dodge observe that efforts to prevent child abuse have historically focused on directly improving the skills of parents who are at risk for or engaged in maltreatment. But, as experts increasingly recognize that negative forces within a community can overwhelm even well-intentioned parents, attention is shifting toward…

A university president discusses his goal to use the college years, when students live closely together, to create a community where individuals assume responsibility for each other. The writer advocates decision-making with this goal in mind at the forefront. Outdoor spaces and gardens with benches need to be designed to function as inviting…

This paper explores the relationships between population density, social interaction patterns, and morale in rural communities. It tests two apparently competing hypotheses concerning rural population density, social interaction patterns and overall levels of morale: one, that low (and rapidly declining) rural densities lead to feelings of…

This article examines shifts in educational and social governance taking place in Queensland, Australia, through Education Queensland's Industry School Engagement Strategy and Gateway Schools program. This significant educational initiative is set within the context of Queensland's social investment agenda first articulated in its education policy…

Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) have a recognized track record of preparing graduates for leadership. Perhaps not as well known, however, is the role they have played in growing their own leaders from student to tribal college president. This article presents a few stories of those people who have risen from the student ranks to lead their…

For many years, policymakers and the public have been holding students and schools accountable for improvement, but there was no way to determine whether the public and its elected officials and community organizations were doing their part to strengthen public schools. To address this shortcoming, Public Education network (PEN), with funding from…

Instead of attacking problems on an individual basis, structures should be built to enable communities to become healthy places for families. Communities must become empowered to determine their priorities and fight for them. (JOW)

The state of Vermont closed its only institution for persons with intellectual disabilities in 1993 and moved to a totally community-based model of services. Here we describe the characteristics of the near exhaustive statewide sample of adult male sex offenders with intellectual disabilities (N = 103) who received these services between 1993 and…

This paper suggests that sharply divergent images of children in Bangladesh reflect different "imagined communities" of society and polity, local and global. Universal concepts of "the rights of the child" contrast strongly with a local culture of "guardianship", as the key social institution that governs children's…

Community educators must stress that "community" involves a sense of collective responsibility, with collective defined in a sense that transcends the boundaries of the immediate residential neighborhood. (Author)

Describes the employee ownership plan put into effect by the Milwaukee "Journal" in 1937; notes that the plan is still in effect and that there is no indication that the "Journal" will ever become part of a chain or conglomerate. (GT)

Examines the question of playground safety and why, when guidelines for safer surfaces and equipment are readily available, communities are still stumbling to create safer playgrounds. The 12 leading causes of playground injuries are highlighted. (GR)

Ethnographic research in 17 low-income schools in the northeast of England is brought to bear on the relationship between the policies of community regeneration and practices of community responsive school leadership. Over 100 interviews and site visits with head teachers, politicians, teachers, community service providers, government officials,…