Community Empowerment And Sustainable Development

This book explores a compelling range of community-based activities from different cultures and nations which help nurture intercultural understanding and practices of sustainable development. The specially commissioned chapters from practitioners and academics offer a set of interconnected case studies, personal stories, philosophical discussions and critical reflections on direct experiences focussing on co-operative action, creative media innovation and community empowerment connecting individuals, groups, organisations from across our converging world. At the bookís core is a central belief that ecological sustainability can only be attained through social learning, community empowerment, participation and a commitment to global justice. It is the first in a series of books addressing issues emerging from the Schumacher Instituteís Converging World Initiative.

This edited volume presents the conference papers from the 1st International Conference on Business, Economics, Management, and Sustainability (BEMAS), organized by the Centre for International Trade and Business in Asia (CITBA) at James Cook University. This book argues that the orthodox methods of external risks, climate change adaptation plans, and sustainable economic growth in cities are no longer adequate. These methods, so far, have not only ignored the ongoing structural changes associated with economic development but also failed to account for evolving industries’ composition and the emergence of new comparative advantages and skills. Specifically, this book looks at the vulnerable communities and exposed areas, particularly in urban areas, that tend to experience higher susceptibility to external risks (such as climate change, natural disasters, and public health emergencies) have been largely ignored in incremental adaptation plans. Vulnerable communities and areas not only require different adaptive responses to climate risk but also possess unlocked adaptive capacity that can motivate different patterns of sustainable development to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda. It is essential, therefore, to view transformative growth and fundamental reorientation of economic resources as integral parts of the solution. Social disorganisation and vulnerability are other undesired outcomes of the unpredictable and widespread external economic shocks. This is due to a sudden and tough competition between members of society to acquire precious resources, most of which may be depleted during unprecedented events such as natural disasters or pandemics resulting in an even more chaotic and disorganised conditions.

Aiming to explore theoretical advances in tourism studies, this book explores the relationship between tourism, sustainable development and empowerment. The theoretical framework is explored across three levels through five case studies drawn from the South Pacific.

While fashionable rhetoric threatens to overwhelm clear thinking sustainable development, the authors of this study believe that serious and difficult questions need to be asked if we are to move to a concept and practice of development which really integrates the needs of people, the economy, the environment and the practical world of decision-making. In particular, it is too easy to assume a positive relation between poverty reduction and an improved environment. Instead they argue that the alleviation of poverty and sustainable development are only likely if the idea of empowerment and its practical institutionalization in the law, the educational process and the machinery of government becomes a reality. This innovative book explores some of the multiple ways in which this approach could become a reality, as well as the difficulties that stand in the way.

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2010 in the subject Sociology - Methodology and Methods, grade: Sehr Gut, Management Center Innsbruck (Non Profit- social- and healthcare management), language: English, abstract: As communities around the world are struggling to cope with the changing social, economical and environmental structures, the demand for participation in the planning of policies is raising. Changes in economy, health and agriculture are influencing households, community relations and their livelihoods. Health will be highlighted as major resource for the development of a household and a community. Through the research of different literature this paper reports prerequisites, strategies, principles and values to improve the well-being of local communities and the sustainability of community based initiatives. Through integrating the multisectoral dimensions of livelihoods, the paper discusses capacity building and empowerment. Therefore participation is the core principle of community development to improve the livelihoods of communities and individuals. Furthermore the paper argues participative practices which are focused on cooperative local economies, healthy convivial communities, educational equity and employment opportunities. Moreover community development provides the framework for the community to leap into modernity in its own rhythm. Findings indicate that community development and the enhancement of participation promotes the ability for critical reflection of local problems and their capabilities to react on it. The findings also shed some light into social, environmental and economical capital to provide a sustainable setting for a healthy community. Community development is committed to social and environmental justice and its vision is a peaceful, just and sustainable world.

This guidebook is a collection of stories of African development projects that have transformed the lives of individuals and communities through collaborative partnerships. Through the study of these successful collaborations, readers will learn to: - Engage in capacity-building for collective problem-solving at the community level. - Work collaboratively for women's empowerment. - Mobilize culturally diverse communities to plan, implement, and evaluate sustainable community development. - Build meaningful collaborations among university and grassroots partners. - Maximize volunteer skills and match them to community needs. The Women's Global Connection (WGC; www.womensglobalconnection.org) embarked on this journey of cross-cultural engagement and capacity-building with one intention, grounded on three pillars: - Local ownership demanded individual and community involvement and buy-in. - Social empowerment required that each of our endeavors resulted in the local community's capacity to share the knowledge and replicate the training that was offered. - The promise of sustainability curbed our efforts to engage only in projects that held the hope of long-term sustainability by the community itself. Years of collaboration among the women's cooperatives, WGC, a private Catholic university, and countless volunteers has demonstrated the unbounded potential of reaching across boundaries and barriers to build a more responsible sense of global citizenship in today's inequitable world society.

This book is about the previously unsubstantiated link between 'sustainability' and 'community'. It is based on a ten year investigation of cohousing, a popular new type of housing project that directly addresses both environmental degradation and social disintegration. The book argues that social and environmental sustainability are inexorably linked. Whilst the existence of this link is generally recognised, there is little existing literature that offers empirical evidence to prove it. In doing so, the book uses case study data (including 120 photographs, 50 tables and 30 diagrams) from twelve recent cohousing developments in Canada, the USA, New Zealand, Australia and Japan - concrete examples of working sustainable communities. The book comprises two parts. Part One introduces the twelve cohousing communities - projects with distinct attributes of their own that highlight their diversity and cultural specificity. Each is richly illustrated with photographs taken by the author, who (in addition to being an architect and scholar) is a commercial photographer. Part Two offers detailed comparative analysis based on substantive quantitative and qualitative data. The strands of the analysis are eventually brought together in a 'holistic' or 'ecological' model, the Community Empowerment Model. The model is then utilised in a broader discussion of empowerment, community development and ecologically sustainable development (ESD). The book is scholarly and authoritative, yet accessible to a broad intelligent readership as an illustrated account of a fascinating cultural phenomenon. It will be valuable to students of architecture, planning, sociology, community psychology and environmental studies. It will also be useful to architects, planners and other professionals. The book contains in-depth information for participants in the growing cohousing, ecovillage, sustainability and communities movements. It is well recognised that such activists face a scarcity of successful examples of sustainable communities from which to draw knowledge and inspiration. This book will help fill that void.

'This text presents models of research sorely needed in the literature and for work in communities.' Kathleen Martin assistant professor of ethnic studies California Polytechnic State University 'Moving beyond a presentation of orthodoxy and idealized goals of participatory research this book provides honest and critical accounts of efforts in the US to apply participatory research to natural resource management. The case studies and synthesis chapters provide invaluable lessons to aid better understanding of the complexities and challenges involved in this very important approach to research.