Discussion lists, often referred to as “listservers” in computer terminology, are typically email-based forums. Participants subscribe to these lists by sending an email to the listserver. Once subscribed, the participant receives email messages related to the specific discussion list they joined. They can also send messages and announcements to the entire list by emailing the appropriate address.
The participant will continue to receive emails until they unsubscribe from the list. A word of caution: replying to messages posted through the list sends the reply to the entire list of participants. Avoid replying with personal or single-user targeted emails, as this can annoy other subscribers.
Like many academic disciplines, community psychology has various discussion lists dedicated to community-based issues. Here’s a rundown of some prominent lists:
SCRA-L: The official listserv of the Society for Community Research & Action (SCRA), APA’s Division 27. This list generally has the highest traffic volume. With approximately 450 subscribers, it is open to professionals, researchers, students, and anyone interested in community psychology, prevention, and action research.
SCRA-W: The Women’s Committee of the Society for Community Research & Action’s discussion list. It focuses primarily on issues relevant to women in the field. Managed by Cecile Lardon ([email protected]).
S-SCRA-L: A forum for students of all levels and disciplines with an interest in serving communities as researchers and practitioners. S-SCRA-L aims to develop students’ capacities to address training concerns and contribute to their understanding of community well-being. The list welcomes discussions on a wide range of topics. To subscribe, send an email to [email protected] with “SUBSCRIBE S-SCRA-L Yourfirstname Yourlastname” in the body of the message. Contact Rachel at [email protected] with questions.
SCRA_SPIRIT: A listserv dedicated to community psychology, spirituality, and religion. This list emerged from growing interest at recent SCRA biennial conferences in discussing spirituality and religion within community psychology. To join, send an email to [email protected] with “SUBSCRIBE SCRA_Spirit Your.Name” in the body. Jeff Kress maintains this list.
SCRA-SOC: A listserv established for students of color in the field of community psychology. It was formed at a SCRA Biennial conference to address common issues and provide support.
COMMPSY: Discussions on the Theory and Practice of Community Psychology. This forum discusses the theory and practice of community psychology, focusing on improving the fit between individuals/groups and the community. Anyone committed to community integration is welcome.
Community Development Society Listserver (CDS-L): The Community Development Society’s listserver. Subscription requires CDS membership.
JRCP-LIST: The Journal of Rural Community Psychology’s electronic subscriber list for the online journal. While not primarily a discussion list, it is occasionally used as such and serves as the primary means of receiving the journal via email.
Applied Psychology (IAAP-L): A discussion list distributing information about applied psychology’s research issues, positions, conventions, and conferences. Sponsored by the International Association of Applied Psychology.
COMM-ORG List: A discussion list from the On-line Conference on Community Organizing & Development.
EVALTALK: An open discussion list devoted to issues in the field of evaluation. Sponsored by the American Evaluation Association and managed by Steve Hebbler. Contact him at [email protected] for more information.