In this book, the authors have explored a series of different types of communities - moving from the basic idea of those based at a specific location all the way to virtual communities of the internet. The ways in which the communities operate, positively and negatively, what people get out of them and what they have to put into them, and the notion of being members of more than one community at the one time are considered.

Sense of community is a topic that captures the attention of people from all types of backgrounds. So, contributors from fields such as community psychology, clinical areas, community development, and urban planning have added their insights and knowledge. A key feature of this book is the research focus that emphasizes the theory-driven analyses and the diversity of contexts in which sense of community is applied. This book will make a significant contribution to our understanding of life in communities and to people's sense of community. It will be of great interest to those concerned with understanding various forms of community and how communities can be mobilized to achieve wellbeing.

Autorentext
Tara Fisher ist als Food-, Reise-und Lifestyle-Fotografin unterwegs. Sie arbeitet für Magazine in der ganzen Welt. Ihre Bilder erscheinen auch in vielen Kochbüchern englischer Verlage.

Inhalt
I: Introduction.- 1 Psychological Sense of Community: Theory, Research, and Application.- II: Locational Communities.- 2 Psychological Home.- 3 Presumptive Planning: From Urban Design to Community Creation in One Move?.- 4 Community, Sense of Community, and Networks.- III: Specific Settings.- 5 Sense of Community of Young Women in Custody.- 6 Sense of Community Among Oxford House Residents Recovering From Substance Abuse: Making a House a Home.- 7 Sense of Community in a University Setting: Campus as Workplace.- 8 Being Church and Community: Psychological Sense of Community in a Local Parish.- 9 Sense of Community in the School: Listening to Students' Voices.- IV: Specific Groups.- 10 Young People's Development of the Community-Minded Self: Considering Community Identity, Community Attachment and Sense of Community.- 11 Immigrant Adaptation: Understanding the Process Through Sense of Community.- 12 MOOing Till the Cows Come Home: The Search for Sense of Community in Virtual Environments.- 13 Contemporary Aboriginal Perceptions of Community.- V: Methodological And Theoretical Developments.- 14 Sense of Community in Rural Communities: A Mixed Methodological Approach.- 15 Neighborhood Sense of Community and Social Capital: A Multi-Level Analysis.- 16 Expanding the Conceptualization of PSOC.