Hallman began his professional career working for the Bureau of
Government Research, University of Kansas. He then spent 13 years
engaged in housing and community improvement programs in Philadelphia
and New Haven. He was associated with the War on Poverty in the
1960s. From 1969 to 1983 he headed the Civic Action Institute,
which conducted research, training, and technical assistance on
employment training programs, local government decentralization,
citizen participation, and neighborhood self-help activities.
In 1973 Hallman
was elected to the National Academy of Public Administration.
In 1976 he was the principal founder of Neighborhoods, USA, a
national association of neighborhood leaders and local officials,
now in its 27th year. He has conducted studies and made presentations
in Sweden, Canada, Puerto Rico, Yugoslavia, Israel, Japan, and
Turkey. He is author of more than 250 publications including nine
books, such as Small and Large Together: Governing the Metropolis
and Neighborhoods: Their Place in Urban Life.
Hallman has been a peace activist since his college days. He was
a conscientious objector during the Korean War and performed alternative
civilian service. He was chair of the Philadelphia chapter, Fellowship
of Reconciliation for two years in the 1950s. He actively opposed
the Vietnam War. He has also been continuously involved in civil
rights activities.
In 1984 Hallman
felt a call to work for nuclear disarmament. In 1986 he obtained
many signers for a "Citizens' Declaration for Worldwide Nuclear
Disarmament". He was unpaid coordinator of the Nuclear Weapons
Freeze Campaign in Montgomery County, Maryland (1986-89). In 1987
he was a founding member of Methodists United for Peace with Justice
and has subsequently served as issues chair, treasurer, executive
director, and now chair. From 1996 to 1998 Hallman was co-convener
of the Religious Working Group for Nuclear Abolition, affiliated
with Abolition 2000. In the United States he has served as chair
successively of an informal group of religious organizations supporting
ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (1997), the Interfaith
Group for the CTBT (1997-99), and now the Interfaith Committee
for Nuclear Disarmament.
Hallman has
been active in local churches throughout his life, usually serving
on the social action committee. At the University of Kansas he
was vice-president of the Student Religious Council, served as
chair of Religious Emphasis Week, and was awarded the William
Allen White Interfaith Fellowship Award. He also chaired the campus
Civil Rights Coordinating Council. In Philadelphia he was a member
of the Board of Directors, Community Service Department, Philadelphia
Council of Churches. In New Haven he was on the board of the Wider
City Parish (an inner city ministry). ). He served as chair of
the Interfaith Forum on Peace and Justice of Montgomery County,
Maryland (1987-1990). He was member of the Commission on Social
and Economic Justice, Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington
(1999-2001). He has worked to promote cooperation among denominations
in the Methodist family. His wife is an ordained United Methodist
minister.
