綜觀台灣社區發展之過程，主要經歷了「社區發展」及「社區總體營造」等階段，至今已積累數十年經驗。不過，檢視目前社區工作之重點，大多著重於硬體建設與計畫執行之層面， 而少見提升社區居民參與， 以及社區共同意識凝聚之規劃；並且，在社區研究方面，國內文獻亦多偏向社會工作、行政管理之探討，較忽視民主政治在基層運作實際的觀點，並分析社區居民參與對民主進展之意義。因此，本文將透過歷史制度途徑，分由制度與非制度層面解析我國社區發展現況，及其變遷特質；在此之中，本文亦將透過不同社區發展模式之比較，分析各種影響社區參與的類型與原因，並發現社區發展之機會和困境。本文企圖論證，不同的凝聚社區意識之源由，及其所衍生與上層政治的關係，將改變制度與行為者之間的關係，並影響民主政治在基層的實現方式。

Implementation of grassroots democracy through environmental governance and community awareness was investigated as a research core in order to clarify and rebuild relationships between community environments and awareness of residents. First of all, this paper classified communities in Taiwan to understand the workings of grassroots democracy within these communities from system and non-system aspects, thereby allowing construction of diverse connotations of community development. Using a qualitative approach, this study then examined interactions between residents and the internal organizations of the different community types to confirm the existence of community awareness and connections between community-building programs. Finally, the study collated and analyzed interview results to review and evaluate community-building policies. By reconstructing the types of community development, government, community, residents, and governance networks were clarified.