The Montserrat's neighbourhood dream

Involving Moroccan residents in a school-based community development process in urban Spain

Bibliographic Data

ID3977540
AuthorsSandra Girbés-Peco (0000-0002-7503-7604, Universitat de Barcelona, corresponding author), Ana Inés Renta-Davids (0000-0002-0145-5141, Department of Pedagogy, University Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain), Lena De Botton (0000-0001-9909-987X, Universitat de Barcelona), Pilar Álvarez (0000-0002-5776-6213, Department of Communication & Education, Loyola University Andalucía, Seville, Spain)
Year2020
Volume21
Issue5
Pages674-696
Publication date2020-06-12
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocial & Cultural Geography (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1464-9365 • E-ISSN: 1470-1197
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14649365.2018.1509112
OpenAlexW2885522448
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited56

Previous research has identified the potential of community-based development processes to reverse inequalities. However, in many cases, constraints arise that hinder the achievement of community goals. This article focuses on the role contributed by a school to overcome these barriers. Specifically, we address the role played by the Mare de Déu de Montserrat School, which is a Learning Community, in the launch and development of a community-based process. Known as The Dream, this process was initiated by a group of unemployed Moroccan residents in an impoverished urban neighbourhood in Spain. Through this process, the neighbours have created a self-managed community garden, which has enabled them to improve their job training and build social networks. Based on the communicative methodology, our qualitative study finds that this school has contributed to the creation of specific conditions that helped to overcome some barriers that had hindered the emergence of community responses. In addition, the contributions of the school have promoted a horizontal and dialogical organization of the process, placing neighbours in central positions in decision-making and leadership roles. This case study provides relevant theoretical and practical implications for the contributions that certain school-based interventions can provide to promote community initiatives in impoverished environments

Community development · Community organization · Dialogical self · Dream · Economic growth · Inequality · Neighbourhood (mathematics · Political science · Process (computing · Psychological intervention · Public relations · Sociology · Education in Rural Contexts · Inclusive Education and Diversity · Parental Involvement in Education · Psychology · Social Psychology

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