Do the actions and agency of citizens in civil society affect the public sphere? Whether these people and their activities contribute a discourse of the public or only a marginal realm is critical to understanding the relationship among community development, civil society, and social change. (Author/JOW)

Describes the residents' committee in China as a form of neighborhood organization that acts as a linking mechanism between the bureaucracy and ordinary citizens. Argues that the residents' committee can reflect community problems and needs to policymakers and, conversely, help the grassroots government explain or implement public policies. (CH)

A case study of health reform in British Columbia followed four health-planning groups' efforts to foster community participation by developing local community health plans. Findings from the case study can inform the theory and practice of community development. (JOW)

Interviews with 72 volunteers who participated in community development activities over 9 years showed that (1) all increased existing knowledge and skills; (2) on average, women learned more than men; and (3) the greater the level of involvement, the greater the learning. (SK)

The authors summarize approximately two years' experience at a family counseling agency in a small town near Tel Aviv. Topics covered include (1) objectives, (2) organizational structure, (3) strategy, (4) cooperation with other agencies, and (5) effects on intra-agency relationships. (CH)

Discusses the application of participatory research to a study of rural Filipino women to identify living conditions and to raise consciousness. Conditions include (1) unemployment and underemployment, (2) limitations of homemaking and child rearing tasks, (3) nonrecognition of reproductive rights, and (4) discrimination in political life and…