The intentional exercise of power: community organizing in Camden, New Jersey

Speer, Paul W.; Ontkush, Mark; Schmitt, Brian; Raman, P. K.; Jackson, Courtney B.; Rengert, Kristopher M.; Peterson, N. Andrew

doi:10.1002/casp.745

Cited by 52 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…In recent years, examples of interdisciplinary work in the community domain have become more prevalent (cf. Rich, Edelstein, Hallman, & Wandersman, 1995;Shinn & Toohey, 2003;Speer et al, 2003). As increasingly innovative interdisciplinary work (e.g., multi-level; community action partners along with multiple disciplines) is generated in the community domain, it will be important to examine whether effective projects require a distinct number and quality of the facilitative factors discussed above, and similarly whether they will require additional types of facilitating factors not present in other interdisciplinary areas, such as those suggested below.…”

Section: The External Contextmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Effective collaboration with staff and administrators in these settings, along with the community itself, is essential if our applied work is to be successful and sustainable and our theories are to contribute to improving the human condition. These collaborations may involve development of prevention or promotion programs, program evaluation, action research, organizational and community consultation, community development, advocacy, policy analysis, and community coalition building (e.g., Rappaport & Seidman, 2000;Rich, Edelstein, Hallman, & Wandersman, 1995;Speer et al, 2003). These intervention and social action activities must be done with a clear understanding about larger social structures and dynamics, cultural diversity, political and economic considerations, global interdependence, and the physical environmental context.…”

Section: Contributing To Social Changementioning

confidence: 98%

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Community Psychology at the Crossroads: Prospects for Interdisciplinary Research

Matón

Perkins

Saegert

2006

American Journal of Community Psychology

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Effective engagement in interdisciplinary work is critical if community psychology is to achieve its promise as a field of ecological inquiry and social action. The purpose of this paper and special issue is to help make the benefits of interdisciplinary community research clearer and to identify and begin to address its challenges. Although some areas of psychology (e.g., biological, cognitive and health) have made substantial interdisciplinary strides in recent decades, progress in community psychology (and related areas) is more modest. In this article we explore the prospects for expanding and improving interdisciplinary community research. Challenges include designs, measures, and analytical frameworks that integrate multiple levels of analysis from individuals through families, organizations, and communities to policy jurisdictions, and the complexities involved in simultaneously bringing together multiple disciplinary collaborators and community partners. Challenges to interdisciplinary collaboration common to all disciplines include the disciplinary nature of academic culture and reward structures, limited funding for interdisciplinary work and uncertainties related to professional identity and marketability. Overcoming these challenges requires a synergy among facilitative factors at the levels of the interdisciplinary project team (e.g., the framing question; embedded relationships; leadership), the investigators (e.g., commitment to new learning; time to invest), and the external context (e.g., physical, administrative, economic and intellectual resources and support for interdisciplinary work). We conclude by identifying several exemplars of effective interdisciplinary collaborations and concrete steps our field can take to enhance our development as a vibrant community-based, multilevel discipline increasingly devoted to interdisciplinary inquiry and action.

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Section: The External Contextmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Contributing To Social Changementioning

confidence: 98%

Community Psychology at the Crossroads: Prospects for Interdisciplinary Research

Matón

Perkins

Saegert

2006

American Journal of Community Psychology

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“…The conflictual nature of power described (i.e., power cedes only to power, not to reason or moral persuasion) implies a ''conflict'' (as opposed to a cooperative) approach to social change (Gutierrez, 1990;Price, 1990;Riger, 1993;Wandersman, 1984). The perspective provided by Niebuhr and Freire on the inevitability of conflict however, does not necessarily enlighten us as to the strategies required to develop power or facilitate social change (Checkoway, 1995;Speer et al, 2003). Often conflict and cooperation are presented as dichotomous alternatives to acting in community (Kitzinger, 1991;Riger, 1993;Wandersman, 1984).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Social power and forms of change: implications for psychopolitical validity

Speer

2008

Journal Community Psychology

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Prilleltensky's notion of psychopolitical validity elevates power as a key phenomenon of interest within community psychology. Importantly, two types of psychopolitical validity are articulated: epistemic—the explicit study of power, and transformative—understanding the role of power in social change. In this article, the author develops the concepts of epistemic and transformative power by presenting a framework for understanding their application to community phenomena. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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“…To successfully act on the recommendations of recent community psychology theorists (Prilleltensky, 2003;Speer et al, 2003;Tseng et al, 2002, Watts, Williams, &Jagers, Ecological andPsychopolitical Validity 2003) and conduct research on social change, sociopolitical development, power, and transformation, researchers have many things to take into consideration. These writings and others are a call to move social change research with psychopolitical validity to center stage in research and action.…”

Section: Complexities and Challenges In Achieving Psychopolitical Andmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Recent articles have endorsed a shift toward a more explicit focus on social change and power (Itzhaky & York, 2003;Mulvey et al, 2000;Speer, 2000;Speer et al, 2003). Prilleltensky's article (this issue, takes that argument to its logical conclusion by advocating a new type of validity criterion that community researchers should use -''psychopolitical validity,'' or the degree to which research addresses power issues and interventions engage in structural change.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Transdisciplinary, multilevel action research to enhance ecological and psychopolitical validity

Christens

Perkins

2008

Journal Community Psychology

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The authors explore the implications of recent proposals for a focus on power and social change in community psychology research and add needed contextual and methodological specificity. An expanded model of psychopolitical validity is presented that merges Isaac Prilleltensky's (this issue, pp. 116-136) domains, or stages of empowerment (oppression, liberation, wellness), with four ecological context domains (physical, sociocultural, economic, political) and greater clarity regarding levels of analysis. The physical-environmental context is used to illustrate some of the questions that may be generated by the expanded model. After discussing the role of democratic freedoms and institutions and the equitable distribution of decision-making power in sustainable community development, the case is made for action research as a potent paradigm to move the field toward those goals. Multilevel and spatial analyses and transdisciplinary research (conceptually and/or methodologically integrative collaboration across multiple disciplines) are underutilized in Community Psychology.

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The intentional exercise of power: community organizing in Camden, New Jersey

Cited by 52 publications

References 4 publications

Community Psychology at the Crossroads: Prospects for Interdisciplinary Research

Community Psychology at the Crossroads: Prospects for Interdisciplinary Research

Social power and forms of change: implications for psychopolitical validity

Transdisciplinary, multilevel action research to enhance ecological and psychopolitical validity

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