Voluntarism, Community Life, and the American Ethic

"This is a major contribution to the literature on social participation and voluntary action. It is the first systematic ethnographic study I know that treats volunteers and the institutions they create." —John Van Til, author of Growing Civil Society

"Students and faculty interested in the issue of homelessness will find the book instructive. . . Recommended." —Choice

Why do people volunteer, and what motivates them to stick with it? How do local organizations create community? How does vo...