Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Policy interest in the contribution that communities can make to civil society and democratic renewal has grown under New Labour. Key programmes, particularly those promoting regeneration and renewal, require community participation in partnerships and public decision-making. This book demonstrates how informal and formal networks strengthen communities and improve partnership working. The well-connected community:·[vbTab]examines the benefits and limitations of networks in supporting self-help, collective action and multi-agency arrangements;·[vbTab]explores the concept of 'community' in relation to patterns of interaction, social identity and mutual influence;·[vbTab]advocates a new model of community development that promotes networking as a skilled and strategic intervention;·[vbTab]presents recent research on community development practice;·[vbTab]develops useful links between theory, policy and practice;·[vbTab]addresses important issues around equality, diversity and social cohesion;·[vbTab]provides recommendations for good networking practice.The book is aimed at practitioners, trainers, policy makers and managers who are working with communities or responsible for community participation strategies. It promotes networking as a vital component of community development and explains how it contributes to government policy objectives.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• List of tables, figures and boxes (p. v)
• Foreword (p. vi)
• Preface (p. vii)
• Acknowledgements (p. viii)
• 1 The meaning and value of community networks (p. 1)
• Introduction (p. 1)
• Aspects of community (p. 2)
• Social capital and community (p. 4)
• The benefits of community networks (p. 7)
• Problems of community (p. 9)
• Community as a dimension of policy (p. 10)
• 2 Community development (p. 13)
• A brief historical overview (p. 13)
• Recognising and respecting differences (p. 16)
• State-sponsored community work (p. 18)
• Regeneration and renewal (p. 20)
• An emerging profession (p. 21)
• Models of community development in the UK (p. 23)
• Networking for community development (p. 25)
• Networking becomes a core competence (p. 27)
• Conclusions (p. 28)
• 3 Network theory and analysis (p. 29)
• Introduction (p. 29)
• Network analysis (p. 31)
• Organisational studies (p. 33)
• Network or organisation? (p. 34)
• Partnerships and cross-sectoral working (p. 37)
• Conclusions (p. 39)
• 4 Network functions (p. 41)
• Conversation and communication (p. 41)
• Collective empowerment (p. 43)
• Patterns of power (p. 46)
• Alliances for social change (p. 49)
• Developing community action (p. 51)
• Community cohesion (p. 52)
• Conclusions (p. 54)
• 5 The principles and processes of networking (p. 55)
• Introduction (p. 55)
• What makes a good networker? (p. 56)
• Establishing contact and forming relationships (p. 59)
• Maintaining and using connections (p. 62)
• Building trust, taking risks (p. 63)
• Benefits and limitations (p. 65)
• Relationships as women's work? (p. 66)
• Conclusions (p. 67)
• 6 Networking for community development (p. 69)
• Introduction (p. 69)
• Networking as practice (p. 70)
• Promoting participation (p. 71)
• Meta-networking (p. 73)
• Importance of informality (p. 75)
• Networking as information processing (p. 77)
• Widening horizons (p. 78)
• Negotiating differences (p. 79)
• Managing diversity and conflict (p. 81)
• Networking the networks (p. 83)
• Conclusions (p. 84)
• 7 Complexity and the well-connected community (p. 85)
• Chaos in the community (p. 86)
• Key elements of complexity theory (p. 87)
• Communities at the 'edge of chaos' (p. 90)
• Creating opportunities for networking (p. 91)
• Spaces and places for networking (p. 92)
• Developing the well-connected community (p. 94)
• Conclusions (p. 95)
• 8 Issues and implications (p. 97)
• Managing roles and accountability (p. 97)
• Preference and affinity (p. 100)
• Addressing inequalities (p. 102)
• Time for reciprocity (p. 103)
• Monitoring and evaluation (p. 104)
• Acquisition of networking capability (p. 106)
• Tensions and transitions (p. 108)
• The impact of technology (p. 109)
• Conclusions (p. 109)
• 9 Developing the well-connected community (p. 111)
• Community development as meta-networking (p. 111)
• Networking for better practice (p. 113)
• Intermediary bodies and partnership working (p. 115)
• A new paradigm for sustainability (p. 118)
• Conclusions (p. 120)
• References (p. 123)
• Suggested further reading (p. 159)
• Index (p. 161)

Author notes provided by Syndetics