On knowing the community of caring persons: A methodological basis for the reflective-generative practice of community psychology

The combination of generative-reflective practice and human science provides a powerful postpositivist rationale for community research and action. As a foundation for this rationale, the paper begins with an analysis of persons-in-community and of caring as the core of community psychology intervention. This analysis is based on work of 20th-century Scottish philosopher John Macmurray. In Macmurray's view, the person and the community are hierarchically and emergently organized at mechanistic, organic, and personal levels. This multilevel organization requires multiple methods: experimental and functional studies, systems studies, interpretive studies, and worldview (Weltanschauung) studies. Such a methodological framework is comprehensive, nondualistic, and holistic. It promises to enable community psychologists to address the complexity of the life of persons-in-community and the many pressing intervention tasks we face in the postmodern world (Newbrough, this issue).