Govier offers a general account of trust in a variety of social contexts and explores the negative effects of distrust on society. For example, she examines the role of trust in relationships between doctors and patients and between politicians and constituents. With well-chosen examples ranging from the Oka crisis to Meech Lake, Govier points out that distrust in politics has been especially prevalent, and, while it may be well-founded, can have pernicious effects. Social Trust and Human Communities will be of great interest to students and scholars in the areas of applied ethics, social theory, and politics.