Community planning in the network society

Models of social change have yet to emerge that deal with planning for change at the local community level due to the growth of public network, the Internet. The interactive network is changing the way people live, the way people earn a living, and perhaps more importantly, the way people spend their leisure time. The understanding of the impacts such technological diffusion plays in sustaining the social capital of the smaller communities of America will be of importance to developers of public networks and planners of the local and regional communities. This thesis discusses major trends that will shape the future of social participation in smaller American communities. The thesis will lead a discussion of the history of technological diffusion in society and will focus on the acceptance of advanced means of communication and information processing within various forms of social groups. After such discussion, a proposed Human/Network Interface (HuNI) model will provide a structure for the evolving roles of social groups with regard to the increasing pervasiveness of advanced network communications. Using the HuNI model as a framework, the thesis will conclude with a discussion of practical implications for planners concerning the influence the Internet will have on smaller communities.