The example of Chicago's Humboldt Park, where there is reluctance to use political action in response to gentrification, shows the limitations of communitarian conceptions of community building, which emphasize self-help and consensus building but fail to acknowledge the need for political articulation of rights-based demands. (SK)

The author states that there are inherent contradictions and assumptions in community development (CD) theory and practice. Contradictions spring from a tendency to apply CD on an inappropriate level and for incorrect purposes. Assumptions spring from CD's Western cultural origins. (CH)

Muintir na Tire was founded in 1931 as a cooperative society for rural development in Ireland. From 1937-70, it shifted to a vocationalist mode; 1970 to the present focused on restructuring the movement. Currently, it needs to press for its share of available funding for community development. (SK)

The Sheffield (England) City Council used an advisory group approach to solicit citizen participation in community planning. Two important lessons were: ensuring that all target groups are represented and providing training and information to prepare citizen representatives for their consulting role. (SK)

Provides an overview of the issues facing community development in Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Discusses possibilities for international cooperation across Europe in the 1990s. (SK)

Despite the newly decentralized local government system in Ghana, communities have been slow to develop broad-based participatory consultative processes for community development. Inflexible bureaucracy also hinders involvement of stakeholders. (SK)

Rural women in less-developed nations use fuels that can be toxic and are becoming scarce. Feminist, sociological, and community-development issues were involved in the process of introducing clear-burning fuel, enabling a focus on both the effects on the health of fuel users and concern for ecological sustainability. (SK)

Cluster communities, voluntary alliances between communities to address common problems, can be facilitated by government financial support; state policies, laws, and regulations permitting collaboration; and educational programs. Education should focus on reconceptualizing "community" and fostering regional belonging. (SK)

A case study of an official organization's attempt to organize Dutch rural women who had already formed their own informal groups illustrates issues of knowledge, power, and control. The resulting conflict demonstrates the wisdom of following local organizing practices when attempting development interventions. (SK)

Reviews animal contributions to fulfilling human need worldwide, including food, shelter, protection, labor, and many others. Identifies inputs into the animal husbandry process. (CH)

Reviews community development projects in Nicaragua that use the multiplier effect in which people learn from each other. Projects include volunteer community health promoters, women's family gardens cooperatives, soil and water conservation programs, a women's collective, and a wheelchair repair workshop. (SK)

The Single European Market will have serious effects on employment, production, and consumption in the United Kingdom. Of particular concern to voluntary and community organizations are the skills, gender, and racial gaps in the labor force. Organizations must develop the capacity to think and work within a European framework. (SK)