Skip to main content

Thinking Complexity in Community Development

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Complexity Theory for Social Work Practice

Abstract

In this chapter, Alex (from Chap. 7) continues her description by providing commentary on how thinking complexity acts as a framework for action and reflection in the practice of community development, or in the doing-thinking-doing, which can directly support and influence practice. She illustrates how thinking complexity supports decision-making and learning in community development activities and settings. The worked examples demonstrate the benefits of integrating key concepts such as emergence into practitioners’ conceptual models. Alex’s personal account of thinking complexity provides reassurance to those working in the CD field that it is through developing the cycle of doing-thinking-doing that capacity and confidence is built and in which thinking and doing are equally valued.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
eBook
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Hardcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

McDermott, F., Brydon, K., Haynes, A., Moon, F. (2024). Thinking Complexity in Community Development. In: Complexity Theory for Social Work Practice. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38677-0_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38677-0_8

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-38676-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-38677-0

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics