The Role of Community Development in Reducing Extremism and Ethnic Conflict: The Evolution of Human Contact

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.

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.