Call for Chapters: Cambridge Handbook of Organizational Community Engagement and Outreach

Posted by Cambridge University Press on February 6, 2017

The Cambridge Handbook of Organizational Community Engagement and Outreach
(Cambridge University Press)

Editors: Dr. Joseph Allen and Dr. Roni Reiter-Palmon

Carnegie Foundation to initiate the “Community-Engagement Classification” for institutions of higher education created some of this momentum, while the overt benefits that corporations gain by working with their community has also furthered these efforts. Essentially, there are members of higher education (faculty and administration), leaders in organizations at all levels, and community members/leaders who are collectively reaching out to one another in an effort to mutually benefit from the exchange of knowledge and resources. For example, having students from a university volunteer to assist a non-profit carryout event (e.g. Susan Komen Foundation Race for the Cure), provides great relief to the non-profit organization in terms of time and resources as well as opportunities for students to develop a life-long desire to give back to their community. The body of research and practice surrounding community engagement continues to grow and yet no definitive volume exists that defines, synthesizes and provides best practices for community engagement. As such, the purpose of this book is to provide the current “state of the field” in terms of the study of and practice of community engagement in its many forms (e.g., university community partnerships, disciplinary/interdisciplinary outreach, corporate social responsibility, and so forth). This edited volume will include both science- and practice-oriented contributions so as to assist both the academic seeking to engage in science-based outreach and the practitioner seeking to initiate a more socially responsible effort in their firm.

The book will be structured around different ways individuals, including faculty, administrators, and management, in organizations engage in their communities. Specifically, contributors who have expertise in community engagement will address best practices for impacting communities through partnerships and collaboration. Domains of community engaged efforts include overt university-community partnerships, disciplinary/interdisciplinary outreach, and corporate social responsibility. This handbook will provide a definite reference for people looking to understand, study, and practice community engagement. Scholars active in this field can use this book as an integration of the current knowledge concerning community engagement and as an inspiration for future research agendas.

Because community engagement takes many forms and is topically considered across disciplines and areas of academia and corporate life, a wide range of scholars and practitioners may have interest in purchasing the book. For example, community engagement scholars will have an interest into this book because community engagement efforts are often complex, challenging, and difficult to carry forward. A book that discusses success stories of community engagement efforts and outlines best practices will be of value to all who engage in such efforts. Each chapter of the handbook will include a section discussing applied implications as well as best practices from the content presented, where applicable. Because community engagement is interdisciplinary, the scholars who will have interest in this handbook will include I/O Psychologists, Communication Scholars, Management scholars, Social Work Scholars, Public Policy and Public Administration scholars, and Higher Education and Leadership Scholars. Additionally, leadership in organizations will have an interest in this book as a tool for initiating best practices in their corporate social responsibility efforts as well as other outreach and university-community partnerships. Essentially, if marketed toward practitioners, this handbook will serve as a guide to the propagation of community engagement across the globe.

Tentative chapter outline
1. Introduction: Organizational Community Engagement Over Time
• Organizational Community Engagement Beginnings
• Defining Community Engagement and Outreach
• Similar Terms
• Types of Community Engagement and Outreach
• Scope of the Book
2. University-Community Partnerships
• Service Learning
• Student Volunteering and Service
• Faculty or Administrative Initiated Partnerships
3. Disciplinary Outreach
• Research with an Outreach Focus
• Faculty/Administrative Individual Outreach Efforts
4. Interdisciplinary Outreach
• Faculty-Community Collaborative Teams
• Administrative Supported Cross-Discipline Initiatives
5. Corporate Social Responsibility
• For-profit initiated efforts
• Faculty Partnerships
• Community focused effort
6. Putting it all together
• Synthesizing Community Engagement
• Collective Impact
• The Future of Community Engagement

Contributor guidelines
This book will showcase community engagement research, best practices, and case studies. The audience is a mix of academics and practitioners. Contributors should therefore draw upon their own experience in community engagement efforts and submit chapter proposals that will contribute uniquely to the book.

If you are interested in contributing a chapter, as a first step please send a proposal for your intended chapter (2 pages max) to josephallen@unomaha.edu by April 1st, 2017. All proposals will undergo a review process. Each proposal will be reviewed along the following criteria: (1) Contribution to the current community engagement literature, (2) clarity and feasibility, and (3) fit with the outlined book structure as well as other proposals submitted. You can expect a decision on whether you will be invited to submit a full chapter, as well as brief feedback on your proposal, by May 1st, 2017.

In your proposal, you should clearly identify (1) the type of chapter you would like to write (e.g., case study; literature review; empirical study, etc.), (2) the section of the book your chapter would fit best (e.g., Disciplinary Research), and (3) how your chapter will contribute to the current practice of and literature on community engagement. If you have an idea for a chapter that does not seem to fit with our tentative structure, please do not hesitate to contact us. We would be sorry to miss out on innovative inputs, and will find a way to integrate them.

If your proposal is accepted, you will receive detailed chapter instructions. All chapters should contain relevant practical and/or conceptual contributions as well as highlight emerging trends in the field of community engagement. Your invited chapter will go through a friendly review process consisting of two reviewers: one editor (Joseph Allen or Roni Reiter-Palmon) and one editorial board member. All contributions (proposals and chapters) need to conform to APA style (6th ed.). Proposals should not exceed two pages and chapters should be approximately 25-35 manuscript pages, all inclusive.

Deadlines
Proposals for chapters (2 pages max., APA style) are due April 1, 2017.
Prior to this deadline, feel free to contact Joe (josephallen@unomaha.edu) for questions or clarification.

Decisions and feedback on the proposals will be delivered to authors by May 1, 2017.

Chapter submissions will be due September 1, 2017.

We are looking forward to your contributions!