Rural community development: a study of the relevant sociological theories

On account of this incomplete grasp of the concept in different regions and at different levels, and also on account of the lack of its systematic treatment in the theoretical spheres, there is an ever-growing need for examining the contemporary thought and experience and for gaining an integrated understanding of the subject, from time to time.

The focus of the present study is on one aspect of this situation, namely, the apparent paucity of a foundation of sociological theory to the concept of community development. The purpose of this thesis may therefore be stated as "the study of the theoretical background of the concept of rural community development.” The main aim is not so much to examine the concept of community development itself, as it is to examine some of the sociological theories that could be brought together to construct a basis, as it were, which would support a generalized concept of community development. It is assumed here that the central concept of community development has its foundation in the theories of sociology.This study seeks to bring together these relevant theories so as to show their conceptual relationship with community development.