This chapter examines how the small town of Landaff, New Hampshire, has adapted to and withstood change over the last 50 years of the 20th century. It is a study of community persistence in the light of sometimes dramatic social, economic and cultural changes. This study examines Landaff's environment, agricultural and economic development, local perceptions of the community, residents' sense of place and belonging to the community, as well as the ways in which they define their community, and other social characteristics, including levels of social participation and interaction.
This chapter describes the most influential theory of community change that emerged during this period, namely, the 'Great Change' thesis. The accuracy of the thesis and its implications for community theory is assessed. The chapter concludes with a discussion of contemporary approaches to community and social change.
This chapter examines two images of Irwin, Iowa. The first is evoked by interviews with a number of older local residents who were in their prime in 1940 when a young rural sociologist named Ed Moe began his study of a typical midwestern agricultural community. The other image is drawn from Irwin's present and future, as seen through the eyes of other younger residents.
This chapter evaluates the characteristics of modern-day El Cerrito, California. First, an overview of the major dimensions of change that have affected El Cerrito over the six decades since it was initially studied, is presented. Then the extent to which contemporary El Cerrito exhibits the major defining traits associated with the sociological notions of 'community', is considered. How those traits may be changing in response to both local and extra-local forces, are also considered. Next, the question of whether the social context that exists in contemporary El Cerrito is consistent with the notions of social well-being identified by Wilkinson as deriving from local community social structures and processes, is considered. Finally, some observations on factors that are likely to influence the degree of persistence and the patterns of change in community conditions in the coming years, are offered.
This chapter examines four key factors that shaped community life in Haskell County, Kansas, during the 1940 and 1965 study and then again in 1993: (1) the environment; (2) federal government programmes; (3) mechanization, commercialization and mono-culturalization of agriculture; and (4) human psychology. In June and July of 1965, a study was conducted in Haskell County to study the changes that had occurred over the 25 years since the 1940 analysis. Case studies are conducted on three communities of Haskell County with sociological theories of community organization and change.
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