This book is concerned with the research conducted in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the theory of commutative Neotherian rings. It consists of articles by invited speakers at the Symposium of Commutative Algebra held at the University of Durham in July 1981; these articles are all based on lectures delivered at the Symposium. The purpose of this book is to provide a record of at least some aspects of the Symposium, which several of the world leaders in the field attended. Several articles are included which provide surveys, incorporating historical perspective, details of progress made and indications of possible future lines of investigation. The book will be of interest to scholars of commutative and local algebra.