This book defines the current identity of community studies, provides a critical but reliable introduction to its key concepts, and is an engaging guide to the key social research methods used by community researchers and practitioners. Concise but clear, it caters for the needs of those interested in community studies by offering cross-referenced, accessible overviews of the key theoretical issues that have the most influence on community studies today. It incorporates all of the important frames of reference including those which are theoretical, research focused, practice and policy oriented, political, and concerned about the place of community in everyday life.