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Processes of Community Change and Social Action

• Edited by Allen M. Omoto

• Price: $59.95
• Binding: Hardback (also available in Paperback)
• Pages: 214
• Published by: Psychology Press
• Publication Date: 15th March 2005
• ISBN: 978-0-8058-4393-4

About the Book

This volume--an outgrowth of the annual meeting of the Claremont Symposium on Applied Social Psychology--focuses on examples of social change and community action, and the processes at work in creating change. The presenters engaged each other and the audience in thinking about how best to create and sustain social change. This volume represents a product of their cumulative insight, research results, and perspectives, including chapters from each of the symposium presenters, as well as a few selected chapters from other noted scholars. Taken as a whole, the volume is highly accessible and presents findings from provocative and programmatic research that offer illuminating lessons for anyone interested in attempts at community change, civic participation, and social action.

Processes of Community Change and Social Action provides cutting-edge and complementary approaches to understanding the causes and effects of broad civic participation. The contributors to this volume are all distinguished researchers and theorists, well known for their work on different aspects of processes of community change and social action. They address topics related to service learning, social movements, political socialization, civil society, and especially volunteerism.


This unique interdisciplinary collection appeals to social, personality, community, and developmental psychologists, sociologists, and public health researchers. It also should be of considerable interest to practitioners of social action and individuals working to create social change.

Table of Contents

Contents: Preface. A.M. Omoto, Understanding Social Change: Introduction to the Volume. J. Wilson, Some Things Social Surveys Don't Tell Us About Volunteering. J.A. Piliavin, Feeling Good by Doing Good: Health Consequences of Social Service. J. Ramirez-Valles, R.M. Diaz, Public Health, Race, and the AIDS Movement: The Profile and Consequences of Latino Gay Men's Community Involvement. M.H. Davis, Becoming (and Remaining) a Community Volunteer: Does Personality Matter? A.M. Omoto, A.M. Malsch, Psychological Sense of Community: Conceptual Issues and Connections to Volunteerism-Related Activism. M.J. Chinman, A. Wandersman, R.M. Goodman, A Benefit-and-Cost Approach to Understanding Social Participation and Volunteerism in Multilevel Organizations. B. Klandermans, M. Roefs, J. Olivier, Social Capital in Democratic Transition: Civil Society in South Africa. C. Flanagan, S. Gil, L. Gallay, Social Participation and Social Trust in Adolescence: The Importance of Heterogenous Encounters. R.G. Bringle, Designing Interventions to Promote Civic Engagement.