Community Economic Development in Social Work

Community economic development (CED) is an increasingly essential factor in the revitalization of low- to moderate-income communities. This cutting-edge text explores the intersection of CED and social work practice, which both focus on the well-being of indigent communities and the empowerment of individuals and the communities in which they live.

This unique textbook emphasizes a holistic approach to community building that combines business and real-estate development with a focus on stimulating family self-reliance and community empowerment. The result is an innovative approach to rehabilitating communities in decline while preserving resident demographics. The authors delve deep into the social, political, human, and financial capital involved in effecting change and how race and regional issues can complicate approaches and outcomes. Throughout, they integrate case examples to illustrate their strategies and conclude with a consideration of the critical role social workers can play in developing CED's next phase.

Steven D. Soifer, Ph.D., MSW, is professor and chair of the Department of Social Work at the University of Memphis. He has expertise in a wide array of social welfare, social and economic development, and social movement areas. He has published numerous books, book chapters, and articles on community development, community organization, and social movements.

Joseph McNeely, MA, JD, is a Baltimore-based attorney and executive director of the Central Baltimore Partnership. He was the founding executive of Baltimore's South East Community Organization and Southeast Community Development Corporation and for twenty years served as the president of the National Development Training Institute.

Cathy Costa, MSW, MPH, is coordinator of the Trauma-Informed Care Initiative at the Baltimore City Health Department, working to implement trauma-informed care across Baltimore's maternal- and child-health programs.

Nancy Pickering-Bernheim has been writing professionally for more than two decades on a variety of topics as a published author, featured writer for newspapers and magazines, and a nationally-syndicated blog.