The community museum relationship has never been more important. It is seen as a primary responsibility of any museum to work with different communities, using collections to show people their histories, and also to encourage understanding outside that specific group. This development of links between museums and communities is often taken for granted as a 'good thing' with little critiquing of the relationship and differing agenda present. Elizabeth Crooke argues that a much closer examination of the concept of community, and the significance of museums to different communities is needed, if the dynamics of the relationship are to be fully understood, and both sides are to get the most out of each other's resources. She uses research from across the social sciences, together with original work and a wide range of international case studies to illustrate her argument and provide pointers for the future. The strongest focus is on areas such as Northern Ireland, South Africa, and North America. Here the politicisation of local populations highlights the complex issues faced by both museums and local groups, who have different ideas about what is appropriate and necessary in the museum context.