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The article cites a study of voluntary associations among a large Asian student community that was attempting to establish a modus vivendi in a very different cultural environment in Australia. The article says that formal associations are special purpose organisations that are based on the mutual interests of certain individuals in a society. They have consistent characteristics among literate communities. These include a system of rules and objectives which define tasks, powers, and procedures, and which are sometimes embodied in a legalised form or constitution. There is usually some stated division of labour, specialisation of participant activity, and delegation of authority. Such associations supply answers to the need for security, self-expression, and new experiences through collective action. They may operate along a range from the democratic, with the total membership participating actively in decision making, to the authoritarian, when control is mainly in the hands of a few leaders.