Exploring diverse community discourses : reflections from a local perspective

This paper represents some of the diverse discourses in the social sciences that are not often known by, or considered relevant to, those people interested in community development. On the contrary, I argue that these discourses may in fact be vitally pertinent to understanding the divergent predicaments facing us in our present moment.<br />After working in the field for twenty years, I am in the final stages of a PhD case study on one of the Victorian 'Community Building Demonstration Projects', based in Melbourne's North. This discussion is therefore based on the intersections between working in a community, traditionally accepted discourses of community development, and 'alternative' discourses that often appear unrelated.<br />In particular there are seven taken-for-granted cultural stories I will examine: problem posing, holism, social research, post colonial studies, critical social theory, public policy, and eco philosophy, in the hope that these might provide an 'other' story for community and development. Given this broad canvas, I will necessarily be breif on each topic.