| Abstract: | The continuing struggle over the meaning and purposes of ‘community’is at the centre of this issue of the Journal. Practitionersand theorists of community development have for some time beencautious about the global resurgence of government interestin the concept and its potential for mobilization in the pursuitof a range of policies, including the re-invigoration of democracy.Typically the concern is the extent to which such policies thatpromote ‘community’ benefit the disadvantaged, excludedand minority groups or whether they signal a withdrawal of publicprovision and government abdication of responsibility for themeeting of basic needs and the incorporation of activists andorganizations concerned with social justice. Alternatively thereare those that continue to see the potential in such inclusivestrategies or those that promote ‘community’ provision |
