Community: what does it even mean?
Plus, peak therapy, how civil society shapes democracy, and a new connection action guide.
Good morning,
It’s the last week of summer and autumn is in the air in the Northeast. Temperatures are dropping, leaves are starting to fall, and new variations of pumpkin and maple lattes are arriving at coffee shops nationwide. So, perhaps it’s fitting that today’s newsletter has a lot to say about change.
How has the internet changed the ways we define and experience community?
How have changes in the nature of civil society affected American democracy?
What changes can local government officials, civil society leaders, and neighbors make to improve connection in their communities?
We hope you give today’s newsletter a read and consider sharing it with friends who might be interested. Also, let us know if you’d like to get involved–pitching us a piece, contributing content, or suggesting whatever else you have in mind.
And, of course, please keep sending us feedback. This is very much a work-in-progress. We’re open to change.
- Sam, Eric, + David
The Reads
Comment Magazine - “The Community Community” by Nathan Beacom
In this piece, Beacom explores the evolving nature of “community” in the internet age, arguing that concrete relationships rooted in place have been replaced by abstract categories of interest and identity. To the author, the consequences of this shift are multifold: increased individualism, declining solidarity with our neighbors, and rising levels of alienation and despair.
Questions raised: Can we shape the tools of technology toward our collective “well-being and flourishing,” as the author suggests? Are there any “genuine communities” that do this well?
TIME - “Therapy will not save us” by Jamie Ducharme
Despite the increase in the number of individuals in the U.S. seeking mental health care, mental health indicators such as suicide rates and the prevelance of anxiety and depression, continue to worsen. This article delves into this paradox, advocating for a more holistic approach to well-being that takes into account societal factors, life circumstances, and the increased utilization of community spaces, peer support, and other community-based interventions.
Questions raised: What is the appropriate role for therapy in modern society? How should it relate to familial, communal, spiritual, and other more participatory forms of care?
The Research
“Civil Society, Realized” by Hahrie Han & Jae Yeon Kim
How have changes in civil society contributed to the erosion of democracy in the United States? Hahrie Han and Jae Yeon Kim define civil society as “the invisible seam that knits pieces of American democracy together, linking political institutions to people, and people to each other.” And they assert that civil society plays two roles in fostering the pluralistic self-determination that drives democracy: (1) it cultivates a capacity for expressing choice; and (2) it teaches capacities and provides opportunities for people to negotiate power.
Han and Kim argue that, “forms of civic engagement that focus only on the expression of choice at the expense of negotiating for power undermine the democratic project by making it less likely that people will be committed to democratic power sharing.” They find that, in recent decades, this is exactly what has happened. Consequently, “the kind of robust civil society we need to make democracy work has been replaced by thinner versions that make democracy more fragile over time.”
They conclude with the question: “how can we restore the potential of civil society to cultivate the motivations and capacities people need to become architects of their own futures?”
The Work
“Action Guide for Building Socially Connected Communities” - Foundation for Social Connection
What it is: Launched earlier this week, this first-of-its-kind guide is designed for use by local leaders–government officials, nonprofit leaders, small business owners, and neighbors–eager to improve the social fabric of their communities.
How it works: The guide takes community leaders through a six-step process (Reflect → Review → Assess → Conduct → Track and Measure → Evaluate + Share) to help stakeholders develop a responsive connection action plan for their communities. The toolkit features downloadable templates and resources in an attempt to simplify, strengthen, and streamline local connection-building efforts.
What we like: The toolkit is accessible - for community leaders, the step-by-step process and resources help answer the question, “where do we begin?” And the guide provides promising strategies of what this work looks like in practice, from building intergenerational communities to promoting early relational health.
→ check out the action guide here.
Have feedback on the newsletter? Want to share content for us to feature? Interested in getting involved as a contributor? Email us at theconnectivetissue@gmail.com.