Network society and the politics of community

Gabrielle Gwyther

    Research output: Chapter in Book / Conference PaperConference Paper

    Abstract

    ![CDATA[This paper draws on the structure of Wellman’s (1979) ‘Community Question’ to examine the rise and implications of the ‘politics of community’, particularly as it pertains to social space and geographic place. The ‘Community Question’ incorporates three perspectives that have underpinned community research and theories since the industrial revolution: Community Lost, Community Saved and Community Liberated. Where both the Lost and Saved paradigms commence their examination of community from the position of geographical propinquity, the Liberated paradigm examines community from a perspective of social ties and networks in social space. Communication enhancing technology has changed the structure and nature of social ties in contemporary society, allowing certain individuals and groups greater movement and control over their networks and mobility, while conversely causing the stasis and exclusion of others. With reference to the ‘new mobilities paradigm’ the second part of this paper examines the implications for two cases of sedentarist government strategies which have been captured by the ‘politics of community’: the Building Stronger Communities (2007) policy of the NSW Department of Housing and the development of ‘Masterplanned Communities’ by Landcom, the NSW Government’s land agency.]]
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationReshaping Australasian Housing Research: Proceedings of 2nd Australasian Housing Researchers' Conference, held in Brisbane, Qld., 20-22 June, 2007
    PublisherUniversity of Queensland
    Number of pages15
    Publication statusPublished - 2008
    EventAustralasian Housing Researchers' Conference -
    Duration: 17 Nov 2010 → …

    Conference

    ConferenceAustralasian Housing Researchers' Conference
    Period17/11/10 → …

    Keywords

    • community power
    • information society
    • social networks
    • community development
    • government policy
    • New South Wales

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