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Community Matters is unique in its use of a contextualized, interactionist approach to analyze the nature and extent of community. Its theoretical discussion of community as process is expanded through the inclusion of arguments raised in political science and philosophy, and is balanced by descriptive analyses of a diverse selection of communities. This book helps bridge the divide between works of academic argument concerning civil society and community life and books explicitly focused on presenting practical information on what is and is not effective in community work.
Community Matters shifts attention away from a conceptualization of community as a fixed evolutionary stage identified with specific types of settings, and instead provides numerous illustrations of the dynamic quality of social ties and community life. This book convinces readers that they can and should study community and community matters.
List of contents
Chapter 1 Preface Chapter 2 Community Matters-And Studying Them Chapter 3 Politics and Law in Community: The Maine Indian Land Claim Chapter 4 Traditions and Changes: Unitarian Universalism and the "Welcoming Congregation" Chapter 5 Changing Spaces and Places: Rent Control in Cambridge Chapter 6 Pushing the Limits of Community Chapter 7 "It Ain't Over Till It's Over" Or "It's Only Just Begun": Boston's West End and Celebration, Florida Chapter 8 (Re)Creating Community?: The "Virtual" Communities of Cyberspace Chapter 9 How Much Does Community Matter Anyway?: The Liberal/Communitarian Debate Chapter 10 Is Community Even Possible?: Postmodern Considerations Chapter 11 Community Theorizing and Community Living: Questions and Lessons
About the author
By Margot Kempers
