The conceptual and theoretical implications of employing different functional models of social change at the community level are outlined in this paper. While no new theoretical or methodological ground is broken, a class of models is recommended that appear infrequently in sociological literature, yet are well suited for representing social…

The concept of community satisfaction is often discussed in sociological research on subjective social indicators. The hypothesis of this paper is that clearer understanding of the concept of community satisfaction is necessary if research measuring the concept is to be valid. The paper concentrates on three areas of concern. Section I reviews…

Intended to engage students in a comparative look at local history in two upper Mississippi river towns (Winona, Minnesota and Dubuque, Iowa), this paper describes the computer-assisted component of an upper-level American Studies course. With emphasis on the 19th century, students examine the transition made by the United States from a…

Data on the social effects of boomtown growth and industrialization were collected from residents of three western communities (Craig, Colorado; Price, Utah; and Gunnison, Colorado) via a fairly detailed mail questionnaire sent to a random sample of 900. Completed questionnaires were received from 443 (a return rate of 65%). A number of different…

In order to assess the impact of the growing number of part-time farm families on the nature of social relations in rural communities, part-time and full-time farmers from five counties in South-Central Missouri were compared on three aspects: (1) community integration; (2) perceived benefits from rural living; and (3) goals and priorities they…

An impressionistic, interpretative analysis of information from direct observation, known informants, and interviews provides a picture of the life situation of Spanish American youth living in rural Taos County, New Mexico. Northern Taos County has experienced dramatic social change over the last several decades, altering the traditional,…