Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sociological Work in Communities

  • Chapter
Handbook of Clinical Sociology

Part of the book series: Clinical Sociology: Research and Practice ((CSRP))

  • 406 Accesses

Abstract

The gap between academic and applied/clinical sociology is well exemplified by an analysis of the sociological treatment of the concept of “community.” This concept usually rates at least a mention in introductory sociology and social problems textbooks (Broom et al., 1984; Henslin, 1999; Sullivan & Thompson, 1988). But many sociological theory textbooks make no mention of “community,” as indicated by the index and table of contents (Coser & Rosenberg, 1982; Perdue, 1986; Waters, 1994). Community discussions are largely limited to applied and clinical sociology books and journal articles (Alinsky, 1984a,ó; Anderson, 1986; Bridger, 1997; Glassner & Freedman, 1979; Schultz, 1996; Straus, 1984).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Alinsky, S. D. (1969). Reveille for radicals. New York: Vantage Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alinsky, S. D. (1971). Rules for radicals. New York: Vantage Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alinsky, S. D. (1984a). A sociological technique in clinical criminology. Clinical Sociology Review, 2, 12–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alinsky, S. D. (1984b). Community analysis and organization. Clinical Sociology Review, 2, 25–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, R. C. (1986). An interorganizational approach to the explanation of community development activities. Clinical Sociology Review, 4, 71–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Billson, J. M. (1984). Saul Alinsky: The contributions of a pioneer clinical sociologist. Clinical Sociology Review, 2, 7–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bridger, J. C. (1997). Community stories and their relevance to planning. Applied Behavioral Science Review, 5(1), 67–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Broom, L., Selznick, P., & Broom, D. (1984). Essentials of sociology (3rd ed.). Itasca, IL: Peacock.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coser, L. A., & Rosenberg, B. (Eds.). (1982). Sociological theory: A book of readings (5th ed.). Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cuthbertson, B. A. (1989). The therapeutic community in a psychiatric facility: Does clinical sociology have a place? Clinical Sociology Review, 7, 141–151.

    Google Scholar 

  • Earls, F., McGuire, J., & Shay, S. (1994). Evaluating a community intervention to reduce the risk of child abuse: Methodological strategies in conducting neighborhood surveys. Child Abuse and Neglect, 18(5), 473–485.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, A. M. (1996). Lessons learned from evaluating a five-year community partnership project. Clinical Sociology Review, 14, 154–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ervin, A. M. (1997). Trying the impossible: relatively `rapid’ methods in a city-wide needs assessment. Human Organization, 56(4), 379–387.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fong, L. G., & Gibb, J. T. (1996).Facilitating services to multicultural communities in a dominant culture setting: An organizational perspective. Administration in Social Work, 19(2), 1–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freedman, J. (1984). Saul Alinsky: A recollection. Clinical Sociology Review, 2, 39–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fritz, J. (1985). Communities: Making them work. In R. A. Strauss (Ed.), Using sociology (pp. 136–152). Bayside, NY: General-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallagher, B. G., & Nahan, N. (1997). Cross-cultural parenting on Detroit’s Eastside: Establishing community-based parenting in multicultural neighborhoods. In P. Nyden, A. Figert, M. Shibley, & D. Burrows (Eds.), Building community (pp. 141–149). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gills, D., & White, W. (1997). Chicago’s Empowerment Zone and citizen participation. In P. Nyden, A. Figert, M. Shibley, & D. Burrows (Eds.), Building community (pp. 211–218). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glass, J. F. (1984). Saul Alinsky in retrospect. Clinical Sociology Review, 2, 35–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glassner, B., & Freedman, J. A. (1979). Clinical sociology. New York: Longman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gomillion, C. G. (1988a). Questions which might be asked in planning a program of social action. Clinical Sociology Review, 6, 33–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gomillion, C. G. (1988b). The role of the sociologist in community action in the Rural South. Clinical Sociology Review, 6, 35–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gutknecht, D. B. (1984). Organizational development: An assessment with implications for clinical sociology. Clinical Sociology Review, 2, 94–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henslin, J. M. (1999). Sociology: A down to earth approach. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman, F. (1987). An alcoholism program for Hispanics. Clinical Sociology Review, 5, 91–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hongdagneu-Sotelo, P. (1994). Latina immigrant women and paid domestic work: Upgrading the occupation. Clinical Sociology Review, 12, 257–275.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joe, J. R., & Miller, D. L. (1994). Field-initiated research to predict work-motivation among Navajo vocational rehabilitation clients. Clinical Sociology Review, 12, 235–256.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnstone, B. (1990). Stories, community, and place: Narratives from Middle America. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matthews, L. (1996). Culturally competent models in human services organizations. Journal of Multicultural Social Work, 4(4), 131–135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCall, G. J., Ngeva, J., & Mbebe, M. (1997). Mapping conflict cultures: Interpersonal disputing in a South African black township. Human Organization, 56(1), 71–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mesch, G. S., & Schwirian, K. P. (1996). The effectiveness of neighborhood collective action. Social Problems, 43(4), 467–483.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, P. C., & Budowski, M. (1995). Effects of organizing voluntary help on social support, stress and health of elderly people. Clinical Sociology Review, 13, 106–119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, R. E., Stevenson, J. F., & Florin, P. (1996). A typology of prevention activities: Applications to community coalitions. The Journal of Primary Prevention, 16(4), 413–436.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nash, F. (1993). Church-based organizing as participatory research: The Northwest Community Organization and the Pilsen Resurrection Project. The American Sociologist, 24(1), 38–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nyden, P., Figert, A., Shibley, M., & Burrows, D. (1997a) Building community. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nyden, P., Adams, J., & Zalent, K. (1987b). Creating and sustaining racially and ethnically diverse communities. In P. Nyden, A. Figert, M. Shibley, & D. Burrows (Eds.), Building community (pp. 32–41). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papineau, D., & Kiely, M. C. (1996). Participatory evaluation in a community organization: Fostering stakeholder impowerment and utilization. Evaluation and Program Planning, 19(1), 79–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, R. E. (1952). Organization and the romantic temper. In Human communities. Glencoe, IL: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perdue, W. D. (1986). Sociological theory. Palo Alto, CA: Mayfield.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radekop, C. (1975). Communal groups: Inside or outside the community? In J. Klinton (Ed.), The American community, creation and revival (pp. 135–161). Aurora, IL: Social Science and Sociological Resources.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ranney, D. C., & Betancur, J. J. (1992). Labor-force-based development: A community-oriented approach to targeting job training and industrial development. Economic Development Quarterly, 6(3), 286–296.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reinelt, C. (1994). Fostering empowerment, building community: The challenge for state-funded feminist organizations. Human Relations, 47(6), 685–705.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schultz, M. (1996). Sociological applications in the development and evaluation of community mediation programs. Journal of Applied Sociology, 13(1), 104–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sengstock, M. C. (1987). Sociological strategies for developing community resources: Services for abused wives as an example. Clinical Sociology Review, 5, 132–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sengstock, M. C. (1994). Researching an Iraqi community in the midst of the U.S.-Iraq War: The researcher as clinician. Clinical Sociology Review, 12, 59–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sengstock, M. C., Thibault, J., & Zaranek, R. (1999). Community dimensions of elderly self-neglect. Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect 11(2), 77–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shepherd, C. R. (1995). Structural, normative, and communal integration in organizations. Clinical Sociology Review, 13, 70–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smelzer, N. J. (1962). Theory of collective behavior. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J. L., & Reichtell, B. (1997). Changing neighborhoods and research for diversity in Cleveland. In P. Nyden, A. Figert, M. Shibley, & D. Burrows (Eds.), Building community (pp. 58–64). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoecker, R. (1999). Making connections: Community organizing, empowerment planning and participatory research in participatory evaluation. Sociological Practice: A Journal of Clinical and Applied Research, 1, 209–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoecker, R., & Beckwith, D. (1992). Advancing Toledo’s neighborhood movement through participatory research: Integrating activist and academic approaches. Clinical Sociology Review, 10, 198–213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straus, R. A. (1984). Changing the definition of the situation: Toward a theory of sociological intervention. Clinical Sociology Review, 2, 51–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan, T. J., & Thompson, K. S. (1988). Introduction to social problems. New York: Macmillan Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, J. B., & Randolph, J. (1975). Community worker. New York: Aronson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waters, M. (1994). Modern sociological theory. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watts, D. (1989). Reducing adolescent drug abuse: Sociological strategies for community practice. Clinical Sociology Review, 7, 152–171.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, 48202, USA

    Mary C. Sengstock

Authors
  1. Mary C. Sengstock
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Eastern Shore, University of Maryland, Princess Anne, Maryland, USA

    Howard M. Rebach

  2. New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA

    John G. Bruhn

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2001 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Sengstock, M.C. (2001). Sociological Work in Communities. In: Rebach, H.M., Bruhn, J.G. (eds) Handbook of Clinical Sociology. Clinical Sociology: Research and Practice. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1217-2_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1217-2_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-5445-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-1217-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation