Masters Theses

Date of Award

5-2001

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

Sociology

Major Professor

Sherry Cable

Committee Members

Thomas Hood, Lydia Pulsipher

Abstract

The concept of an ideal society, a utopian society, has been the focus of scholars of science and philosophy since early civilization. Laypeople and spiritual leaders have attempted to create Utopian societies in the midst of larger social systems, especially during periods of rapid social change (Zablocki, 1980). Today these communities are known as intentional communities. Because intentional communities are microcosms of the greater society—social laboratories—they provide a potential avenue for understanding the processes and systems used to build and maintain a sense of community experienced by members. This sense of community, the feeling of belonging to something larger than the self, appears to be decreasing in a broad spectrum of mainstream settings, from inner cities to rapidly growing rural towns. The thesis study is guided by the question: What are the factors that most contribute to building and maintaining a sense of community? Two intentional communities, The Farm and Twin Oaks, are used as case studies. Both communities have similar longevity, but they have significantly different historical paths. The Farm was formally established in 1971 by a group of approximately 320 "psychedelic hippies" who followed an eclectic spiritual path articulated by their charismatic leader, Stephen Gaskin. Twin Oaks, by contrast, was founded.in 1967 by a group of eight people who had read B.F. Skinner's Walden Two (1948) and wanted to replicate the community described in the novel. The research question was derived from personal interest and a variety of literature. The literature review is composed of four perspectives that reflect the pathway of inquiry. The quest began with my early ponderings on social and economic inequalities and the diminished sense of community in America; it led to the formulation of the research topic. The literature begins with works from community builders in both mainstream settings and in the intentional community movement. This section is followed by sociological literature that relates to community characteristics and variables as well as studies from the field of environmental sociology. The final section reviews the geographical literature to understand the role of place-making in the creation of a sense of community. The thesis is a qualitative study using multiple methods of data collection. The field research included participant observation, in-depth interviews, survey questionnaires, document analysis, and maps. The data are presented in narrative form in a detailed descriptive analysis using the human dimensions research model. The model suggests the importance of the relationships between the history, the biophysical factors, and the sociocultural factors. The physical aspect of the geographical factors were combined with the biophysical factors because these attributes of place-making influence the creation of the sense of community. The descriptions and analyses of each community are presented separately. From these findings, the similarities and differences between the case studies are discussed. The most important factors involved in creating and maintaining a sense of community were found in the agreements between and among community members: cooperation, participation, nonviolence, and self-responsibility. These factors frame the social interactions of the communitarians and are found in the historical, physical, and social aspects of each community. The reciprocity found in the interactions between the members, the environment, and the community all combine to build a sense of place and a sense of commonality among the members. With the sense of place and commonality comes a sense of belonging and hence, a sense of community. The study is concluded with reflections and recommendations for further study.

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