Community Involvement: Theoretical Approaches and Educational Initiatives

The contributors to this special issue on community involvement discuss the topic from a variety of perspectives drawn from psychology, sociology, and education. In total, they present an overview of the recent history and trends associated with community involvement, including definitions, goals, major movements, and examples of specific models. In the course of this set of papers, contributors discuss the functions, processes, and theoretical underpinnings of community involvement, and specific types of involvement such as community service, service-learning, and volunteerism. A special emphasis is given to service-learning programs and the factors that produce beneficial outcomes for all relevant constituencies. Specific themes such as education, power relations, and motivation are highlighted as they emerge from the discussion of community involvement.