Communities in a world of open systems

In the past, communities tended to be closed systems with relatively clear boundaries, stable memberships, and few linkages to other communities. We a re now entering into an 'age of open systems.' Mobility creates new communi ties and kinds of communities. The impacts of mobility are far less than th ose of information and communications technology. Cyberspace has become a n ew kind of social terrain, crowded with 'virtual communities.' Television a nd radio create communities of people thinking and talking about the same t hings. Both mobility and the growth of communications networks reduce the p redominance of geography as a force in shaping community. Many communities are much more fluid, and some are placeless. There are many different kinds of social,groups and networks that people describe with the word 'communit y.' Most people are multi-community individuals, with many memberships, and many kinds of memberships. Although the world's major religions still have some historic identification with specific regions, those geographic attac hments are no longer as clear as they once were, and these religions are te nding to become open systems. Some people prefer relatively closed social s ystems, while others flourish in freer environments. Choice is one of the m ost powerful forces in the lives of people being exposed to the forces of g lobalization. Community will continue to be a profound human need but will be redefined, perhaps many times over. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All r ights reserved.