In North America and elsewhere it is frequently asserted that changes in rural society have led to an economic and social "decoupling" of agriculture from the wider rural community. Casual analysis of contemporary media reporting and popular discourse would suggest that interactions between the two spheres are as often characterized by…

If readers want to improve ties with their local community, government, town, or civic groups, then this is the handbook to read. This guide focuses on how to conduct a community relations audit, develop a CR strategy, build a CR team, communicate more effectively with neighbors, and handle crises well. The handbook also includes a sample economic…

Data collected from interviews with residents of a western Canadian city did not support the hypothesis that the perception and fear of crime would be inversely related to neighborhood cohesion and social activity. But as hypothesized, the fear of crime was negatively related to affect for the community. (RLV)

In a small Illinois town experiencing immigration of working-poor families, the differing notions about respectability of newcomers and the old guard became symbolized by conflict over the appearance and use of private and public property. Concludes that property issues, more than occupation or family background, shape social relations in…

The case study of a community relations program in Northern Ireland demonstrates the importance of contextual variables and illustrates that the demands of short-term, context-stripped, value-for-money evaluations are often in conflict with qualitative inquiries that can reveal the social, political, and cultural influences on program delivery.…

This report is a first effort of the Missouri Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to determine the current dimensions of race relations in rural areas of Missouri. Callaway County and its county seat, Fulton, are described, and poblems faced by blacks in the schools and in obtaining housing and employment are explored, the…

A case study in a rural Australian township attempted to determine indicators verifying the existence of social capital. Social capital is provisionally defined as the networks, norms, and trust that constitute the capacity of individuals, workplaces, groups, organizations, and communities to strive for sustainable futures in a changing…

In the early 1970s neighborhood movements developed around the concept of community integrity. As institutions expanded, neighbors began to fight encroachment on their way of life. Three case studies involving disputes between expanding urban universities and their neighborhoods reveal similarities in the development and resolution of…

As one of 20 case studies in education and culture designed to bring to students in professional education and in the social sciences the results of direct observation and participation in educational process in a variety of cultural settings, this book describes the educational process in a residential school for American Indian children in the…

Presents a case study on the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) to evaluate and analyze the way Hispanic organizations function in the community. Focuses on its history, structure, activities, and accomplishments. Concludes that education, employment, and political participation are the main thrust of MALDEF. (JS)

A case study in a rural Australian township sought to determine the nature of the interactive productivity between the local networks in a community. Participants were chosen based on recommendations of community members concerning to whom they turn for help, advice, or information. Community interactivity was recorded using interviews,…

Describes a case study of an educational planner in an Ontario, Canada, school district who successful managed a crisis involving crowded schools, shrinking resources, and an identified need for dual-language education. Understanding and effectively handling political processes, community relations, and local values were critical. A visionary…

Humanistic geography is similar to ethnography in that both are concerned with describing actions and events in terms of their meaning to those experiencing them; humanistic geography is particularly concerned with understanding subjective social space: space as perceived by members of particular human groups. A humanistic geography case study,…

The Public Relations Division of the proceedings contains the following 15 papers: "Virtual Issues in Traditional Texts: How Introductory Public Relations Textbooks Address Internet Technology Issues" (Lois A. Boynton and Cassandra Imfeld Gajkowski); "Crisis Public Relations: A Study of Leadership, Culture, Demand and Delivery"…

This study examined the relationship between a small rural school in northeast Georgia and its surrounding community. Three teachers, two community members, and three students used cameras to collect data related to their perceptions of the school-community relationship. They created photographs, then wrote about their photos, and finally, held…