Product Description

Modern society is plagued by fragmentation. The various sectors of our communities-businesses, schools, social service organisations, churches, government - do not work together. They exist in their own worlds as do so many individual citizens, who long for connection but end up marginalised, their gifts overlooked, their potential contributions lost. This disconnection and detachment makes it hard if not impossible to envision a common future and work towards it together.

We know what healthy communities look like-there are many success stories out there and they've been described in detail. What Block provides in this inspiring new book is an exploration of the exact way community can emerge from fragmentation. How is community built? How does the transformation occur? What fundamental shifts are involved? He explores a way of thinking about our places that creates an opening for authentic communities to exist and details what each of us can do to make that happen.

"My intent" he writes, " is provide structural ways to create the experience of belonging, not just in those places where people come to just be together socially, but especially in places where we least expect it. This includes those places where people come together to get something done. These are our meetings, dialogues, conferences, planning processes - all those occasions where we gather to reflect on and decide the kind of future we want for ourselves."

Citizens have the power to change the community story and bring a new context into being. Block shows us how we can overcome isolation and anxiety and create communities alive with energy and possibility. This book is written to support those who care for the well being of their communities. It is for anyone who wants to be part of an organisation, neighbourhood, city, or country that works for all, and who have the faith and the energy to create such a place.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #176377 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 240 pages

About the Author
Peter Block is a partner in Designed Learning, a training company that offers workshops designed by Block to build the skills outlined in his books. He has received many awards for outstanding contributions in the field of training and development, including the Association for Quality and Participation President’s Award and Training Magazine HRD Hall of Fame.

Customer Reviews

A Synthesis of Activist Views on Grass Roots Change
"Mercy and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed." -- Psalm 85:10

One of my favorite sayings is that "the best help is self-help." That's one of the major themes of this book.

I came to the book as someone who favors finding solutions that delight all those affected and as a fan of Peter Block's classic book, Flawless Consulting. I wasn't prepared for what I found in the first few chapters of Community: A dense summary of the views of other authors that feature their jargon and concepts. It was heavy going. I almost gave up before the book's message began to yield to Peter Block's views as exemplified by some examples from the Cincinnati area.

This book could have been told in a much more direct, simple, and easier-to-understand way. I found myself mentally translating the concepts back into ordinary English to grasp the major points.

As a result, the book comes across as almost like a simplified dissertation, not the kind of work that you may be expecting. One of the limits of tipping one's cap as an author to so many other writers is that you are limited in how much you can advance the argument into new territory without doing some new homework.

There's lots of good advice in the book so I do hope you will persevere. If our communities are to become stronger and more nurturing for all, we need to get past arguing about philosophies while nothing gets done. This book can be a helpful contribution to such progress if people read and apply its vision and structural recommendations.