Offers theses to encourage search for community in the changing countryside: because of its influence on social well-being, the community is alive; rural areas present special community development advantages/problems; strategies must address sources of rural problems in larger society; rural sociology can specify/measure parameters of rural…

Communities experiencing rapid growth due to energy development have serious and predictable social and human service problems, especially concerning women, the aged, and other minorities. The Wyoming Human Services Project, a model of impact mitigation, might be emulated elsewhere to modify the effects of such growth now and in the future.…

Small western boomtowns typically respond to increased social problems by placing greater demands on existing formal service systems rather than taking advantage of the potential of utilizing informal sources of help as part of a coordinated and comprehensive approach to meeting community needs. (Author/SB)

Describes institutional overload and cultural clash as principal forms of disturbances which create problems in the areas of education, community solidarity, health care, social welfare, crime and public safety, and other municipal services. Advises rural planners and developers to focus on objective indicators of these areas, for successful…

Examines rural social trends and implications of current information age for rural development. Predicts rising number of small-scale service organizations, benefiting rural areas. Examines other factors tempering optimism that rural areas can benefit from information age. Recommends investment in rural human capital, information structures, and…