Challenging the standard approaches to social development practice and offering South African case studies as examples, this sociological work explores the relationship between government and communities. More than just a compendium of aggregate national and international data regarding social development practices, the book looks at the unique experiences of three South African communities, providing ample lessons for discourse. Building on the theoretical and methodological foundations of an actor-oriented form of analysis, Leslie M. Dikeni contests the generic, commonplace dynamic of state-citizen-market relations.