NCJ Number
18624
Date Published
1974
Length
645 pages
Annotation
APPLIES RECENT SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH TO INTERVENTION STRATEGIES AND PROGRAMS IN SOCIAL PLANNING, COMMUNITY WORK, AND SOCIAL ACTION.
Abstract
THE THRUST OF THE STUDY IS TOWARD DEVELOPING GENERALIZATIONS BASED ON CONSENSUS FINDINGS IN THE DATA. THE GENERALIZATIONS ARE BUILT FROM ORIGINAL STUDIES ON THE NATURE OF SOCIAL PHENOMENA. SOCIAL ACTION AND CHANGE GUIDELINES ARE THEN DEVELOPED FROM THE GENERALIZATIONS. ONE PART OF THE STUDY FOCUSES UPON THE PRACTITIONER WHO ACTS AS A CHANGE AGENT. VARIABLES AFFECTING ROLE PERFORMANCE AND THE DYNAMICS OF THAT PERFORMANCE ARE DISCUSSED. ANOTHER SECTION DEALS WITH THE ORGANIZATIONAL FRAMEWORK OF SOCIAL CHANGE AS IT EXAMINES THE CONTEXTUAL FACTORS AND THE TECHNOLOGY AND PERSONNEL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR. THE COMMUNITY SETTING OF SOCIAL CHANGE IS EXPLORED THROUGH AN ANALYSIS OF POLITICAL AND LEGISLATIVE BEHAVIOR. VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATIONS, PRIMARY GROUPS, SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, POLITICAL ACTION, AND CLIENT ORGANIZATION ARE DISCUSSED AS ASPECTS OF CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL CHANGE. THE DIFFUSION AND ADOPTION OF INNOVATIONS AND THE MOVEMENT AND ASSIMILATION OF POPULATIONS ARE TWO SOCIAL CHANGE PROCESSES DISCUSSED. THE BOOK CONCLUDES WITH A PRESENTATION OF THE PROCEDURE BY WHICH RESEARCH CAN BE LINKED TO THE WORK OF THE PRACTITIONER. BIBLIOGRAPHIES ARE INCLUDED AT THE END OF EACH MAJOR SECTION OF THE BOOK.