The study book provides access to key sources in original texts from the American debate on the significance of 'community,' which offer new perspectives on the history of community work. Engaging with texts from the years between 1890 and 1935 allows students as well as scholars to gain a nuanced insight into the historical development of the field of social work and a historical reconstruction of today’s forgotten contexts and international connections. Through brief analyses and frameworks, the authors introduce the context of the English-language texts, but do not present defined interpretations or fixed readings in the exploration of the historical discourse surrounding community and social space.