"Drawing on a wealth of empirical examples and illustrations, this book reviews debates surrounding the idea of community. It examines changing patterns of community life and evaluates their importance for society and for individuals. As well as urban, rural, and class-based communities, attention is paid to other contemporary forms of community, such as social movements, communes, and virtual gatherings in cyberspace. The book will be of interest to students of sociology, geography, political science, and social policy and welfare. "