Special Issue: Contributions of Community Psychology to Urban Research and Policy
The field of community psychology focuses on solving social problems and encouraging well-being by examining transactions between individuals and larger social systems including organizations (e.g., schools, workplaces), local neighborhoods, and cities. Given this focus, community psychologists have a long history of contribution to understandings of metropolitan and community problems, urban social change, and urban policy. The articles in this special issue highlight key connections between community psychology and urban studies. First, J. Neal traces the history of community psychology to urban issues and explores the extent to which community psychology and urban studies have informed each other over the past 10 years. Second, Nation et al. and Kornbluh both examine issues of urban education, focusing on ecological approaches and efforts to give voice to youth. Third, Hansen and Toro clarify contributions of community psychology to our understanding of homelessness and housing over the last 40 years. Fourth, Collins describes how community psychology values were an integral part of gaining support for a democracy voucher initiative used to increase resident influence in local politics. Finally, Z. Neal highlights commonalities in the foundations, processes, and legacies of the ecological metaphor developed by community psychologists and human ecology developed by urban sociologists.
Neal, J. W. (2020). Community psychology and urban studies: Common connections and missed opportunities. Journal of Urban Affairs. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2020.1712152
Nation, M., Christens, B. D., Bess, K. D., Shinn, M., Perkins, D. D., & Speer, P. W. (2020). Addressing the problems of urban education: An ecological systems perspective. Journal of Urban Affairs. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2019.1705847
Kornbluh, M. (2020). Untold student stories: Examining educational budget cuts within urban school settings. Journal of Urban Affairs. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2019.1607748
Hanson, D. M., & Toro, P. A. (2020). Contributions of community psychologists to research, theory, intervention, and policy on homelessness since 1980. Journal of Urban Affairs. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2019.1645571
Collins, C. R. (2020). “Meeting them where they’re at”: Implementation of community psychology values into city policy and the case of the Honest Elections Initiative. Journal of Urban Affairs. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2019.1691443
Neal, Z. P. (2020). Comparing urban sociology’s human ecology and community psychology’s ecological metaphor. Journal of Urban Affairs. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2019.1691444
Journal of Urban Affairs 