This is the first of two consecutive courses that provide an advanced introduction to the profession of community psychology and its historical development as a sub-discipline of psychology in various contexts (i.e., North America, Europe, Latin America, Australia, Asia, and Africa etc.). The course provides an introduction to the various paradigms of community psychology focusing on values, perspectives and theoretical traditions of the field. This course covers and appraises the basic theoretical community psychology modalities and approaches of intervention, treatment, and community research within the field of Western and Eastern community psychology. Topics include: stress and coping theory/research; social support and mutual help-intervention; prevention theory, research strategies; health promotion and other community/social change strategies; subjective and objective attributes of community as a basic socio-cultural unit of analysis and intervention.
