A Critical Community Practice Theory for Forging Alliances across Difference

Abstract

ABSTRACT Increasingly diversity practice skills are imperative to socially just practice in community. Conceptually driven constructs and approaches grounded in ideology dominate practice across difference in communities. This project centers a setting historically challenged by urban renewal, segregation, racism, and systemic oppression. Using critical grounded theory, authors develop a tentative practice theory to forge alliances across differences of power, identity, orientation, and/or culture from data derived in practice. Findings expose three core process dimensions: knowledge development, quality communication, and relationship care; key guiding components, practical skills, and barriers in each to guide evidence-informed community practice and expand the diversity practice lexicon.