davidcayley.com John McKnight: Community and Its Counterfeits
Mar 1, 2015
John McKnight, an expert in community building, discusses the power of tapping into individuals' strengths within communities to revolutionize social welfare. He explores the damage caused by professional interventions and challenges the notion of fixing individuals in society, advocating for embracing differences as a source of strength. The podcast touches on Citizen Space, community dynamics, bereavement counseling impact, and previews upcoming programs on community revitalization.
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Chapters
Transcript
Grandmother's Lesson About Gifts
- McKnight recalls his grandmother telling him he had a gift—'Blarney'—as an early lesson about gifts.
- He uses this childhood memory to illustrate recognizing natural talents rather than manufactured needs.
From Organizer To University Connector
- McKnight describes being made a tenured professor at Northwestern to connect city realities with university resources.
- He used that role to start the Program in Community Studies focused on local problem-solving.
Community As Citizen Space
- Community is the social space where citizens associate to solve problems and create together.
- John McKnight frames this as the citizen space opposed to system-managed service space.