ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book describes international and inter-cultural perspectives of self-help, did not, as yet, receive proper attention in the research literature. It clearly draws the attention to the criticality of culture as a key factor in understanding the specific type of self-help practiced in a nation, within an ethnic group, etc. To clarify, how culturally embedded self-help groups are, and how superficial analyses of them can distort or misrepresent their nature. The methodological theme of using the naturalistic paradigm of inquiry that relies especially on qualitative methods is an issue tightly associated with the need to study the cultural aspects of self-help groups and is addressed in Borkman and Schubert's paper. The tendency by policymakers and professionals to view self-help as a form of human service brings many professionals to become actively involved with self-help groups.
