This unique book gives readers fresh insight into the study of communities. It provides balance by supplying empirical evidence to the discussion of theoretical and methodological issues. The author argues that such evidence allows readers to investigate the relation between Canadian communities and theoretical and methodological generalizations found in community studies. Readers can then decipher whether or not these generalizations actually apply to Canadian communities. The work includes a variety of articles, all based on empirical studies. The articles cover all community types-from rural, to small town, to suburban, to urban-and all regions of Canada-from Atlantic Canada, to western Canada, to Ontario, to Quebec. The writings were carefully chosen according to theoretical relevance, their effectiveness in a learning environment, and their overall readability. Diverse articles and empirical evidence make this book a well-rounded examination of a long overlooked area in community studies.