Dr. Mark Brennan
Assistant Professor, Community Development
PO Box 110310
Gainesville, FL 32611-0310
(352)392-1945 x 229
E-mail:
brennanm @ ufl.edu
Educational Background
Ph.D. Rural Sociology. The Pennsylvania State University, 2003
M.S. Rural Sociology. The Pennsylvania State University, 1994
B.S. Sociology. Salisbury University, 1992
Areas of Specialization
Community/Community Development
Research Methods and Statistics
Social Change/Social Movements
International Comparative Sociology
Environmental/Natural Resource Sociology
Rural Sociology
Professional Experiences
The University of Florida. Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences. Assistant Professor of Community Development - May 1, 2004 to present.
The Pennsylvania State University. Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology Research Associate and Teaching Assistant - August 25, 2000 to May 1, 2004.
Marywood University Director of Distance Education - October 18, 1999 to August 24, 2000.
Military Family Institute, Senior Research Associate - April 7, 1996 to September 30, 1999
The Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development. Research Associate - August 20, 1992 to July 1, 1994
Selected Publications
Peer Reviewed Journal Publications
Barnett, R.V. and Brennan, M.A. 2008. “Youth Volunteers: The Effects of Influences, Motivations, and Receptivity on Volunteerism.” International Journal of Volunteer Administration. (accepted/in press).
Brennan, M. A., and A. Dodd. 2008. “Exploring Citizen Involvement in the Restoration of the Florida Everglades.” Society and Natural Resources. (accepted/in press).
Brennan, M. A., C. Flint, and Luloff, A.E. 2008. “Community Agency, Action, and Local Culture: A Neglected Relationship”. Sociologia Ruralis. (accepted/in press).
Brennan, M. A. 2008. “Exploring the Connection Between Rural Youth Well-Being and Community Resilience.” Special issue of Child Care in Practice Building - Resilience in Children, Families, and Communities. 14(1): 55-64.
Kurihara, S., Shimoura, S., Nishiyma, M., and Brennan, M. A. 2007. “Japanese Farmers' Concerns about Old Age and New Pension System.” Journal of Rural Economics. December 2007.
Kurihara, S., Shimoura, S., Nishiyma, M., and Brennan, M. A. 2007. “The Impact of Japanese Farmers’ Pension on Quality of Life.” Japanese Journal of Farm Management. 45(2): 137-141.
Brennan, M.A. and Flint, C. 2007. “Uncovering the Hidden Dimensions of Rural Disaster Mitigation: Capacity Building through Community Emergency Response Teams.” Southern Rural Sociology. 22(2): 104-118.
Flint, C. and Brennan, M.A. 2007. “Rural Communities and Disaster: Research from the US Gulf States and Beyond.” Southern Rural Sociology. 22(2): 1-4.
Brennan, M.A., Barnett, R., and Baugh, E. 2007. “Youth as Central
Players in Community Development: Implications and Possibilities for
Extension”. Journal of Extension. 45(4):
http://www.joe.org/joe/2007august/a3.shtml.
Steinhauer, M., Brennan, M.A., McConnell, D., Reinhardt-Adams, C.,
and Sandrock, D. 2007. “Visitor Responses to an Ethnic Garden Display in a
Botanical Garden.” Hort Technology. 17(4): 1-7.
Brennan, M.A., R. Barnett, and M. Lesmeister. 2007. “Enhancing Leadership, Local Capacity, and Youth Involvement in the Community Development Process: Findings from a Survey of Florida Youth”. Journal of the Community Development Society. (in press, second issue 2007).
Brennan, M.A. 2007. “Placing Volunteers at the Center of Community Development”. International Journal of Volunteer Administration. 24(4): 5-13.
Brennan, M.A., A.E. Luloff, and K. D. Ricketts. 2007. “A Comparison of Agency at the Community Level: Findings from Rural Ireland and Pennsylvania”. International Review of Modern Sociology. 33(1): 97-116.
Brennan, M. A. and A. E. Luloff. 2007. “Exploring Rural Community Agency Differences in Ireland and Pennsylvania”. Journal of Rural Studies. 23: 52-61.
Barnett, R. and Brennan, M.A. 2006. “Integrating Youth into Community Development: Implications for Policy Planning and Program Evaluation”. Journal of Youth Development. 1(2): 2-16.
Flint, C. and Brennan, M.A. 2006. “Community Emergency Response Teams: From disaster responders to community builders.” Rural Realities. 1(3): 1-9.
Brennan, M.A. 2006. “The Development of Community in the West of Ireland: A Return to Killala Twenty Years On.” Community Development Journal. 42(3): 330-374.
Brennan, M. A., C. Flint, and R. Barnett. 2005. "Community Volunteers: The Front Line of Disaster Response". Journal of Volunteer Administration. 23(4): 52-56.
Brennan, M. A., A. E. Luloff, and J.C. Finley. 2005. “Building Sustainable Communities in Forested Regions.” Society and Natural Resources. 18(9): 1-11.
Brennan, M. A. 2005. “Volunteerism and Community Development: A Comparison of Factors Shaping Volunteer Behavior in Ireland and America”. Journal of Volunteer Administration. 23 (2): 20-28.
Brennan, M. A. and A. E. Luloff. 2004. “A Cooperative Approach to Rural Development in Ireland: Cultural Artifacts and the Irish Diaspora as an Example”. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education. 12(1): 15-25.
Fontaine, S. and Brennan, M. A. 2000. "Analysis of the Voluntary Activities of Military Spouses." The Journal of Volunteer Administration. 28(4):2-11.
Harrison, L., M. A. Brennan and A. Levine. 2000. "Frequency and Intensity of Physical Activity Among Service Members." American Journal of Health Promotion. 15(2): 77-81.
Harrison, L., M.A. Brennan and A. Levine. 2000. “Comparison of Service Member and Military Spouse Satisfaction with Installation Fitness Facilities and Exercise Programs”. Military Medicine. 165(9): 701-6.
Journal Guest Editor
Brennan, M.A. and R. Brown. 2007. Guest Editor of special issue “Community Theory: Current Perspectives and Future Directions” Community Development: Journal of the Community Development Society (forthcoming).
Brennan, M.A. and Courtney G. Flint. 2007. Guest Editor of special issue “Rural Communities and Disaster: Research from the US Gulf States and Beyond” Southern Rural Sociology (forthcoming).
Book Chapters and Sections
Luloff, A.E., J.C. Bridger, and M.A. Brennan. 2006. “Achieving Sustainable Communities”, p.393-416 included in R B. McKinstry, C. M. Ripp, E. Lisy (eds.), Biological Conservation Handbook: State, Local, and Private Protection of Biological Diversity.
Luloff, A.E., M.A. Brennan, and J.C. Bridger. 2004. “The Economic Impact of Tourism in Adams County: The Influence of Gettysburg National Military Park and the Eisenhower National Historic Site”, p. 349-355 included in Camarda et al. (eds.) Global Challenges of Parks and Protective Area Management. International Symposium on Society and Resource Management (ISSRM)/Carlo Delfino Publishers:
Government Policy Papers
Brennan, M. A. September 2006. “The Importance of Local Culture and Community in Achieving Sustainable Development”, p.79-85 included in S. Mulkey (eds.) Towards a Sustainable
Peer Reviewed Extension Publications
Gellermann, J.P, and Brennan, M. A. 2007. “Understanding Workforce Housing:
Creating a Local Needs Assessment.” 5 pp. (FYC963). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY963
Eisenberg, J., Radunovich, H., and Brennan, M. A. 2007. “Understanding Youth and
Adolescent Overweight and Obesity: Resources for Families and Communities.” 7
pp. (FYC932). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY932
Lutz, A.E., Swisher, M.E. and Brennan, M. A. 2007. “Defining Community Food
Security.” 4 pp. (AEC383). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/WC064
Dodd, A. and Brennan, M. A. 2007. “Get Involved: Everglades Restoration”. 9 pp.
(FCS9260). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY921
Dodd, A., Jolley, J., and Brennan, M. A. 2007. “Watershed Science Symposiums:
Connecting Scientists, Managers, and Citizens to Research and Restoration
Effort”. 9 pp. (FCS9261). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY920
Daniels, S. and Brennan, M. A. 2006. "Missing Children: Kidnapped and Abducted
Children and Resources Available to Parents and the Community." 5
pp. (FCS2256). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY867
Daniels, S. and Brennan, M. A. 2006. "Missing Children: Incidences and
Characteristics of Runaway Children and Resources Available to Them." 5
pp. (FCS2254). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY855
Brennan, M. A. 2006. "Effective Community Response to Disaster: A Community
Approach to Disaster Preparedness and Response." 4 pp. (FCS9254). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY840
Brennan, M. A. 2006. "Effective Community Response to Disaster: Exploring the
Role of Community Emergency Response Teams." 3 pp. (FCS9255). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY841
Brennan, M. A. 2006. "IFAS Community Development: Identifying Local Power
Structures, The Positional Approach." 3 pp. (FCS9256). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY842
Brennan, M. A. 2006. "IFAS Community Development: Identifying Local Power
Structures, The Reputational Approach." 3 pp. (FCS9257). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY843
Brennan, M. A. 2006. "IFAS Community Development: Identifying Local Power
Structures, The Decision-Making Approach." 2 pp. (FCS9258). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY844
Brennan, M. A. 2006. "IFAS Community Development: Identifying Local Power
Structures, The Social Participation/Social Activity Approach." 2
pp. (FCS9259). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY845
Brennan, M. A. 2006. "IFAS Community Development: The Continued Importance of
Rural Development." 4 pp. (FCS9242). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY825
Brennan, M. A. 2006. "IFAS Community Development: Identifying Local Power
Structures to Facilitate Leadership and Community Development." 2
pp. (FCS9238). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY816
Brennan, M. A. 2006. "IFAS Community Development: Defining Local
Power Structures to Facilitate Leadership and Community Development." 3
pp. (FCS9240). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY818
Barnett, R. V. and Brennan, M. A. 2006. "Involving youth in the community
development process." 4 pp. (FCS9253). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY846
Brennan, M. A. 2005. "IFAS Community Development: Cooperatives as Tools for
Community and Economic Development in Florida." 4 pp. (FY728). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY728
Brennan, M. A. and Regan, C. 2005. "IFAS Community Development: Empowering Your
Community, Stage 2, Organization of Sponsorship." 4 pp. (FY763). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY763
Marcus, J. and Brennan, M. A. 2005. "IFAS Community Development: Empowering Your
Community, Stage 1, Initiation." 4 pp. (FY740). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY740
Brennan, M. A. 2005. "IFAS Community Development: Empowering Your Community,
Stage 3, Goal Setting and Strategy Formulation." 4 pp. (FY764). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY764
Brennan, M. A. 2005. "IFAS Community Development: Empowering Your Community,
Stage 4, Recruitment." 3 pp. (FY765). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY765
Brennan, M. A. 2005. "IFAS Community Development: Empowering Your Community,
Stage 5, Implementation." 3 pp. (FY766). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY766
Brennan, M. A. 2005. "IFAS Community Development: The Importance of Local
Community Action in Shaping Development." 3 pp. (FY729). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY729
Brennan, M. A. 2005. "The Importance of Incorporating Local Culture into
Community Development." 4 pp. (FY773). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY773
Fogarty, K. and Brennan, M. A. 2005. "Alcohol and Drug Use During Adolescence:
Problems and Solutions that Youth Professionals Need to Know." 5 pp. (FCS9231). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY767
Brennan, M. A. 2004. "IFAS Community Development: Enhancing Community Through
Social Interaction." 3 pp. (FY717). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY717
Brennan, M. A. 2004. "IFAS Community Development: Toward a Consistent Definition
of Community Development." 3 pp. (FY722). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY722
Brennan, M. A. 2004. "IFAS Community Development: In Search of a Common
Understanding of Community." 4 pp. (FY715). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY715
Professional Awards and Honors
Recipient of the 2008 UF/IFAS Richard Jones
Outstanding New Faculty Research Award.
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society.
Fellowship,
Kenneth P. Wilkinson Memorial Scholarship in Rural Sociology
European Society for Rural Sociology
Southern Rural Sociological Society
Community Development Society
Mid-South Sociological Association
American Sociological Association
American Society for Public Administrators
Rural Sociological Society
Gamma Sigma Delta, Agricultural Honors, 2002.
