The Post-Place Community: Contributions to the Debate about the Definition of Community

Abstract

One of the continuing theoretical debates in community studies is about the definition of community, especially whether the concept of community includes groups of people who share common interests and interaction but who do not share common geographical locality. Starting with the classic dichotomy of Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft, many scholars have described a weakening of traditional ties among community members due to urbanization and industrialization. Today, it is useful to define community in terms of the networks of people tied together by solidarity, a shared identity and set of norms, that does not necessarily reside in a place. This concept of community, what I call a post-place community, helps reconcile the fact that cities and suburbs may lack social involvement of Gesellschaft, while individuals find Gemeinschaft solidarity through global networks. This makes a lot of difference for how to plan, govern, and restore regions.