Reconceptualizing Community Organization in India

A Transdisciplinary Perspective

Bibliographic Data

ID6076768
AuthorsJanki Andharia (0000-0003-0722-531X, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, corresponding author)
Year2007
Volume15
Issue1-2
Pages91-119
Publication date2007-08-22
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Community Practice (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1070-5422 • E-ISSN: 1543-3706
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1300/j125v15n01_05
OpenAlexW1840103348
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited20

This article traces the history of community organization (CO) in the disciplinary and practice arena in India. Although CO within the academia grew with social work, the trajectory of CO practice reveals an increasing tension with the discipline of social work, especially the way it is structured and taught in India. The interface with the community development (CD) programme of the government, as also the growth of the voluntary sector and the influence of new social movements, compelled a review of the orientation of CD and CO. A sectoral thrust on livelihoods, health, education, housing, wages, land alienation, access to entitlements along with the pluralization of debates on caste, ethnicity, tribal and gender identities enriched CO in India. The article offers a perspective on CO based on practice and the critical engagements of faculty members in one of the premier institutes of India which offers social work programmes. Concerted efforts to respond to the changing social and political context with consistent pro-poor stances provided unique insights which are reshaping, refining and re-conceptualizing the perspective of CO in India. This is reflected in course work, the conscious recasting of fieldwork, the criteria of selecting sites of practice and agencies, and the policy work undertaken by faculty members. Could the new curriculum be termed as transdisciplinary or is CO emerging as a distinct discipline? This is a question posed for further debate

Agriculture · Caste · Context (archaeology · Curriculum · Discipline · Economic growth · Government (linguistics · Indigenous · Livelihood · Pedagogy · Political science · Public relations · Social science · Sociology · Community Health and Development · Gender Studies · Law · Religion, Society, and Development · Social Work Education and Practice · Social Work

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