Reimagined Community
Our preparation for rolling the network out included a survey of the community about local civic engagement and a mapping of existing civic groups—both helped us identify potential partners and build an understanding of civic life in the community. This fact-finding and coalition building, along with prior work, informed our approach to building an... See more
Solving Social Media’s ‘Local Paradox’ (SSIR)
most social networks never prioritize place-based interactions, it seems that we’re left with little idea of what our cities are for but to serve us.
🧭 🏙️ Navigating the digital landscape of a real city
Design for public value, not just individual value
🎙️🌍 How we're building with international public broadcasters
Good spaces provide bonding and bridging mechanisms. The field of urban planning first introduced the concept of public spaces that bond or bridge. The former serves to aid similar individuals to meet and reinforce ties. The latter bridges diverse people together to coexist and broaden one another’s perspectives. What seems to be working for us is ... See more
the creation of healthy digital public spaces requires an investment in community entrepreneurs who will create and lead them, too. A field-wide coordinated investment. An investment of capital to support them and compensate them for their value; an investment of training in formal and non-formal ways to support them to get better; an investment in... See more
New_ Public • Celebrating the labor that holds up our democracy: the community entrepreneur
How can we use tech to develop more informal place-based ties? As we spend more of our time online, how can we make virtual space for social capital to form?
This orientation reinforces the idea that the city itself is something to be consumed, rather than co-created among its residents.
🧭 🏙️ Navigating the digital landscape of a real city
Users can rank choices in order of preference, for instance, or invite volunteers to see who will actually implement a decision.
Nathan Schneider • Governable Spaces: Democratic Design for Online Life
Re-envisioning it means ensuring that every place is a part of a bounded neighborhood with a clear start and end and a commercial center, primary school, parks, civic associations, nonprofits, small businesses, and other physical assets and institutions that promote bonding relationships. Adjusting the tax system to favor local volunteerism and giv... See more