As we publish the third issue in the 49th volume of Community Development, we want to draw attention to the opportunities for celebration and intellectual stock-taking in our upcoming 50th volume. In each of the five issues next year, we will try to capture where we are and where we are heading in the field of community development. In addition to the regular studies that are in preparation for publication, we want to make a special call for reviews and studies that capture important themes within the field of community development. Historical perspectives, contemporary reviews, policy analyses, and future directions will be welcomed and highlighted. We ask that you think of how your work is positioned in light of the past five decades of research, and reach out to a colleague to enjoin your work showcasing the multidisciplinary, international, mixed method, conceptualized and applied research that makes up our field. In short, we welcome each of you to take stock of where we have been and where we should be going as we wrap up our first 50 years and prepare to start the second half-century of Community Development.
The articles in this current issue highlight the social relations in community development in a wide variety of settings (domestic and international). From leveraging community assets (social and natural) to broadening (and deepening) social networks, the articles in this issue illustrate the complex, diverse, and important nexus of community assets, networks of relationships, and community leadership.
John W. Sipple
Co-Editors, Community Development
[email protected]