What do we see as visual signs of community? In place-based communities, appearances are connected to sense of community. Neighborhoods with clean yards, lit porch lights in the evenings, little trash strewn around public areas, and flower pots displayed by houses have higher sense of community than those that are dirty, unlit, and undecorated. But […]
Traditionally community has been defined broadly as a group of people formed around either a location or social relationships. Even before online communities were added to the mix, there were a multitude of definitions for community. With changing connections come new ideas about community, and I’ve been developing my understanding of community with a twist […]
Psychologist Seymour B. Sarason coined the term and foundational theory for sense of community. He was a man referred to as a “dour optimist.” And that is a fitting label for someone who started out by describing what is now held as one of the most positive aspects of community in terms of loneliness and […]