DANNY BURNS is Professor of Social and Organizational Learning at the University of the West of England and co-director of SOLAR, a research and development team specializing in participatory action research and action inquiry. Before this he worked at the University of Bristol. He has also previously worked as Director of the Tenant Participation Advisory Service for Scotland, and Director of the Decentralization Research and Information Centre.COLIN C. WILLIAMS is Reader in Economic Geography at the University of Leicester, UK.JAN WINDEBANK is Senior Lecturer in French Studies and Associate Fellow of the Political Economy Research Centre (PERC) at the University of Sheffield, UK.

'The book does not dissapoint... It is short, accessible and combines both a summary of latest thinking in the field... with policy proposals' - Peter North, Housing Studies

• List of Tables Introduction Arguments for Self-Help and Mutual Aid Conceptualising Community Self-Help The Extent of Community Self-Help A Route into Employment: Community Self-Help as a Springboard A Complement to the Market and State: Community Self-Help as a Coping Strategy An Alternative to the Market and State: Community Self-Help as Challenge Supporting and Developing Community Self-Help Community Self-Help in Visions of Future Political Organisation References Index