Recognizing that community practice is undertaken in a dynamic landscape, Dr. Lee provides a practical narrative of community work in his book, Pragmatics of Community Organization 5th ed. He conceptualizes community as a dynamic network of political and interpersonal relations based on overlapping elements of geography, function, attributes, and interests; all having specific boundaries and, to some extent, a definite consciousness. Lee sees community practice not only as planning or coordinating services to be more efficient, or correcting power imbalances in society; but, more so as a means of addressing the goals of empowerment and social justice. His passion and enthusiasm are revealed through stories of his own work and that of others. Building on the first four editions, the fifth addresses the threat of human environmental degradation, the world financial upheaval and inequality, the importance of the Internet, how social media affects community practice as well as the importance of considering the need for and use of nonviolent civil disobedience. It highlights the character of the community and the social workers’ role in it; and has sections on strategies and tactics of organizing, as well as diagrams to illustrate different concepts. It also has an updated bibliography.
This book is appropriate for use as a course text in social work, allied disciplines and macro practice.
