Reviews a book assessing the effects of central grid rural electrification on the social and economic development of 192 communities in India and Colombia. The study examines the impact on agricultural productivity (through increased irrigation), the quality of life of women and children, business activities, and regional inequities. (SV)

Reviews book, "The Selling of the South: The Southern Crusade for Industrial Development, 1936-1980" (Cobb, 1982). Describes socioeconomic influences and history of industrialization in southern United States. Emphasizes development's negative effect on people and environment. Suggests that rural Southerners should reconsider and…

Reviews a book that describes changes affecting rural America including the farm crisis, growing poverty, and in-migration of those who contribute little to the local economy. Addresses implications for rural service delivery and government policy. (LP)

This special book review section contains reviews of 18 books in adult and continuing education and development. Subjects include rural development, feminist discourse, group facilitation, Paulo Freire, professional development, social change, participatory action research, and the ecology of written language. (SK)