Drawing on first-hand accounts of action research in the Americas, Africa, and Asia, The Heart of Community Engagement illustrates the transformative learning journeys of exemplary catalysts for community-based change.

Patricia A. Wilson, professor of Community and Regional Planning at the University of Texas, Austin, teaches civic engagement, participatory action research, and international community development. Her field research in community-based change processes over three decades includes Latin America, South Africa, India, and the United States. A past president of Sociedad Interamericana de Planificación, she holds a B.A. from Stanford and a Ph.D. from Cornell. She has authored or co-authored five books and numerous journal articles.

Chapter 1. Introducing Ensemble Awareness PART I: The Journey Begins Chapter 2. Civic Engagement in El Salvador: A Beginner's Story Chapter 3. Building Community in a Texas-Mexico Border Colonia PART II: Going Deeper Chapter 4. Cultivating Peace in Colombia's Cauca Valley Chapter 5. Building Deep Democracy in South Africa's Shantytowns Chapter 6. The Art of Facilitation: Collective Reflection in Rural India Chapter 7. Participatory Action Research in Peri-Urban Mexico: The Inner Practice Chapter 8. Theory U: Engaging Global Community with Depth and Breadth PART III: Moving Forward Chapter 9. Generative Patterns of Practice Chapter 10. Ensemble Awareness and the Interconnected Whole