An exploration of all things community development (CD) in dialogue with citizens and practitioners around the world. Dr Peter Westoby has been on the CD journey for over 30 years, as citizen practitioner, professional and academic. He's published over 60 journal articles and 15 books. He's worked in many countries, including South Africa, Uganda, Australia, Nepal, India, and Vanuatu. He's currently a Director/Senior Social Practitioner with Community Praxis Co-op, a visiting professor at University of the Free State/South Africa and Honorary Associate Prof with Deakin Uni/Australia.
A practice and theory of dialogical community development - opening comments
This 34 minute conversation between Rachael Donovan and Peter Westoby explores the opening frames of the 2009/2014 books on dialogical community development (Tafina Press; Routledge).
In the conversation we consider some of the core ideas such as community as dialogue, community as hospitality and community as an ethical space - all in the light of depth and solidarity. The conversation considers why Peter and Gerard Dowling (the co-author) wrote the books in the first place, what motivated them, and how they reflected on their ACTUAL practice.
The books are available:
Dialogical Community Development (https://www.amazon.com.au/Dialogical-Community-Development-Peter-Westoby/dp/0975765833/ref=books_amazonstores_desktop_mfs_author_smart_catalog_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=GuPFj&content-id=amzn1.sym.0bcaa6d9-ec99-49f0-8285-86130244bf19&pf_rd_p=0bcaa6d9-ec99-49f0-8285-86130244bf19&pf_rd_r=357-7143730-6500069&pd_rd_wg=N95xY&pd_rd_r=eaa08599-e98f-4213-b662-6f708f74e0c2) (1st edition)
A Theory and Practice of Dialogical Community Development (https://www.amazon.com.au/Theory-Practice-Dialogical-Community-Development-ebook/dp/B0BCHJR3VZ/ref=books_amazonstores_desktop_mfs_author_smart_catalog_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=vWJnN&content-id=amzn1.sym.0bcaa6d9-ec99-49f0-8285-86130244bf19&pf_rd_p=0bcaa6d9-ec99-49f0-8285-86130244bf19&pf_rd_r=357-7143730-6500069&pd_rd_wg=VopBB&pd_rd_r=d54aae0d-2840-49d5-94cf-8aed1d2ffb4e) (2nd edition)
Transformative Community Development (https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0HLQKMB8P/ref=books_amazonstores_desktop_nis_default?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=OBi2T&content-id=amzn1.sym.852c7d48-4f37-4431-8e2a-342b976c7f7c&pf_rd_p=852c7d48-4f37-4431-8e2a-342b976c7f7c&pf_rd_r=357-7143730-6500069&pd_rd_wg=KOa3v&pd_rd_r=c50d5b5e-12f3-44b0-931d-dd2f31cd7a4e)(just released)
7 Jun 2026
Community development and the 'invitation'
This is a gentle meandering 24 minute conversation between Dr David Palmer and Dr Peter Westoby about the role of 'the invitation' within community development. It explores why waiting for invitations are important for our practice not imposing ourselves... albeit sometimes we can 'linger within intent', hoping to be invited.
29 Apr 2026
Jacques Derrida and a Community Development Yet-to-Come
This is a 30 minute public lecture Peter gave at Murdoch University, Perth on Thursday 16th April, 2026. It explores:
- who Derrida was,
- why his deconstructive episteme can be helpful for community development;
- some big ideas, such as the haunting of justice;
- along with 5 key impasses - that of 'community', 'development', 'community development' itself, the 'cultural turn' and the 'empire of trauma/colonisation of therapeutics'.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.0 / 5
2 ratings
Spotify
4.9 / 5
10 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 45 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
78
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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