Rothman has made groundbreaking contributions to the profession in the area of practice and also in research. In addition, he has forcefully forged innovative connections between knowledge development and knowledge utilization for over three decades. This work has been distinctive, distinguished, and impressively path setting. His scholarly work in community organization practice provided the foundation for a sound academic footing for that field. The literature up to that point had been highly descriptive and anecdotal. He formulated the leading conceptualization of community intervention, "Three Models of Community Organization Practice," which is recognized nationally and internationally as the foremost theoretical construct in that field. His co-edited textbook, "Strategies of Community Intervention," which has that piece as its cornerstone article, is in its 7th edition and is the longest standing text in community organization--and possibly in social work generally (originally published in 1974).

This formulation was designated a "Classic Text" in 2004 by the Journal of Community Development (published by the Oxford University Press). Works so identified are those that have at least 25 years standing, so that their impact can be assessed over a long time span. Rothman's work was a critical factor in having the professional come to accept social action and political advocacy as legitimate practice functions in the field. In the early 1960s, Rothman joined Professor Meyer Schwartz at the University of Pittsburgh to implement the first contemporary two-year concentration in community organization. He continued with notable curriculum development work in community organization at the University of Michigan. With his colleagues, he designed the most comprehensive community organization curriculum, built