Somerville, P. (2011). Understanding community: politics, policy and practice. Bristol, Policy Press.
Understanding Community explores the relationship between community, policy, politics and theory in the UK context. In the first chapter, the author introduces the wider concept of community, arguing that community is a phenomenon that can be expressed through networks of sociability, interpellates individuals as members of the same collectivity, and involves the possibility of mutual recognition of such membership (p. 1). The second chapter goes on to critically discuss 'community development', particularly the contested character of a 'developed' community, drawing connections to neo-colonialism and gentrification. Further chapters investigate a range of topics related to politics and social policy, including: governmental approaches to community with a critique New Labour (and the Big Society); community economic development; community learning; community health and social care; housing and community; and community order. The book is designed as a text for students, and each chapter concludes with a summary, questions for discussion and further reading. The main methods used in this book are social policy analysis and analysis of secondary sources..