Neotribes
Characteristics
Ben Andrea:
"Neotribes:
- Emerged in the wake of the challenges of globalization
- Positioned as a cure for urban separation through life in community
- Oriented towards ecosystems and ecologies
- Desire a connection with the land, other species and the biosphere
- Inclination towards small and local, open and connected (See work on the SLOC
- Marked by open and fluid boundaries that are selectively permeable
* Connected globally through digital networks and infrastructure
- Share information across boundaries / between communities
Neotribes are marked by :
- Shared rituals and practices
* Symbols and signs that communicate identity
- Manifestations in digital and physical space (socially, economically, politically)
When these three elements function together in a community, a sense of “collective effervescence” emerges, creating feelings of belonging and bonds of trust that nurture the creation of a commons, which enables collective risk taking and creative action. (See Urban Flow by Jeffrey Kidder, works on collective behavior by E. Durkheim)
Access to the commons (infrastructure, capital, membership) is a cornerstone of the community. Ownership and influence work hand in hand in the community; as a citizen of the community takes ownership they gain influence through their actions The community works towards the betterment of both its members and others in its extended ecosystem / network; in this sense it is oriented towards the pursuit of goals / outcomes in an ecological context. The community must manifest in physical space to take on a true sense of identity, develop culture, identify values, discern objectives, etc. Digital infrastructure and social networks serve foster the emergence of neotribes and facilitate their gathering in physical space; they serve as an abeyance structure for the community once the physical manifestation ends. (See literature on the space of place / space of flows by Manuel Castells)" (google doc shared folder, June 2016)