People Transforming Communities

Emergence and/or Performance?

Do communities emerge, are they created through goal-driven performance, or both? Do human social systems self-organize? Should we treat communities as a community a complex adaptive system or more like a business? Can communities 'plan' to self-organize? What kinds of mix are you using in your local community development?

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Barbara Lawrence on March 8, 2009 at 2:34pm: And/both emergence and goal driven as communities and people are a messy complex group. Watching the energy, actions, and success of grassroots efforts around a common goal illustrates what a community can achieve. One volunteer with a passion can make a tremendous difference in a community, and as well, one power hungry top-down leader can assist or block community efforts. In my opinion, a community can 'plan' to self-organize by providing an inviting and creative framework for engagement.

Systemically we are in need of great transformation. Traditional hierarchy works slowly, sometimes good and sometimes not it seems. I am trying a new outreach approach to community issues networking (in person dialogue) around economic issues and opportunities. It will be interesting to see if there will be a response. How does our pessimism and optimism that everything will (on its own) get back to normal affect our actions and inactions as individuals and communities?; ▶ Reply to This