The Role of Community Development in Reducing Extremism and Ethnic Conflict

August John Hoffman is Professor of Psychology at Metropolitan State University, USA, and President of the IFO Faculty Association.
Saul Alamilla is Associate Professor of Psychology at Kennesaw State University, USA.
Belle Liang is Professor in the Counseling and Developmental Psychology Program at the Lynch School of Education at Boston College, USA.

The purpose of this text is to provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the nature of violence, aggression, extremism, and ethnic hate crimes in the US, and to explicate how community development, stewardship, and service may be implemented to address and reduce these problems. When individuals of diverse backgrounds are provided with engagement, interaction, and community-building stewardship programs, negative ethnic stereotypes are debunked, conflict is reduced, and individuals are more likely to communicate and build a more resilient and empowered community. Recent political and administrative policies have created a very tense environment among cities within the US, especially within communities that have larger populations of immigrant refugees and persons of varied ethnicities. This book aims to ameliorate some of that tension. 

Explores contemporary cases relevant to the topics at hand

1. Introduction: "Society and the Role of Community Development: Providing Opportunities of Engagement".- 2. Community Development, Stewardship Activities and Volunteerism: How "Connectedness" and Interdependency Help Strengthen Communities.- 3. The Virtues of Community Development: Teaching Communities the Inherent Benefits of Community Service Work Activities".- 4. The History of Aggression and Ethnic Conflict: Why Polarization Fuels Hate and Violence.- 5. The Evolution of Aggression: Why Religious and Territorial Conflict has Existed for Centuries.- 6. Restorative Justice and Community Development: The Pathway to Justice.- 7. Cultural Dimensions of Extremism: Perceptions of Similarity and Dissimilarity as Factors that Influence Social Integration and Reduced Conflict.- 8. The Evolution of Altruism and Prosocial Behaviors: How Helping Others Helps Us.- 9. The Role of Interdependency and Conflict: We Need to be Needed.- 10. The Mechanics of Community Service Work Activities: Howto Implement in Schools and Communities.- 11. Redefining the Role of Law Enforcement: Creating Coalitions within the Community.- 12. Conclusion: Understanding the Virtues of Community Service Work: Biology is Not Our Destiny.