ABSTRACT
Perspectives on small towns vary greatly around the world. This variation ranges from how small towns are classified, how much attention they are given in research and policy-making to the type of themes that such research and policies address. This chapter focuses on the US perspectives on small towns. It reviews the concept of the small town and its alternatives in the United States, the position of small towns in research and policy, and the research themes that are usually addressed as well as the gaps that exist to be addressed.
