Student: Emily Tucciarone
Graduation date: May 2018
Capstone type: Thesis
Capstone project:
Community’s Shadow: Examining Community Isolation in LA Eco-village
Capstone file(s): Show file | Show file
Community formation is widely regarded as a positive force which should be cultivated and strengthened by community members in a group. However, the negative consequences of an extremely tight-knit community are often ignored; strong communities rooted in certain characteristics or ideologies may have a potential to withdraw from larger society.This disconnect from other groups can lead to heightened polarization, misunderstanding, and a lack of consensus. To address this phenomena, I ask: can community be isolating? I examine this question in the context of intentional communities, groups formed from a shared utopian vision. My thesis examines Los Angeles Eco-village, where I deploy three methodologies: participant observation, demographic analysis, and content analysis. My research suggests that communities may be disposed to isolation yet can mitigate this tendency through community engagement, outreach, and efforts towards diversity.