Sarah Wong

A folk example of helpfulness in the parochial realm is the famous “cup of sugar” that good neighbors supposedly can, but rarely do, borrow from another. Nevertheless, the “cup of sugar” is a symbol for any kind of assistance that does not cost the giver much yet may mean a lot to the receiver because of a particular situa-tional constraint. Actual... See more

Any more intimate form of neighborhood sociability begins with friendly recognition. Grannis (2001) reports that neighborly ties among locals are overwhelmingly built up from what he calls “passive contacts,” chance encounters that provide opportunities for neighborly greetings. Similarly, Demerath and Levinger (2003) emphasize the importance of “b... See more

withholding friendly recognition among mutually known neighbors is interpreted as a notable act of hostility, thereby further reveal-ing the normative power of this principle.

communicate personal recognition and, second, to convey the impression that the other is considered a friendly neighbor. In other words, the parochial version of a greeting requires a focused, individual effort that pays tribute to the special bond that exists between neighbors via their shared territory and community membership.

Here are the four key principles Lofland identifies as enabling smooth interaction (or non-interaction) among strangers in public spaces:

1. Civil Inattention

• Definition : The practice of acknowledging the presence of others while deliberately avoiding sustained attention or intrusion.


• Example : Making brief eye contact with someone walking past yo

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The first pattern of public realm interaction (Lofland 1998:29) refers to the habit-ual practice of “cooperative motility” among strangers in public. That people are mindful of each others’ bodies and spaces while moving around

, neighborhood associations frequently prompt active members to interact with other residents, for instance, to recruit volunteers while distributing fliers and newsletters, thus leading to many informal and spontaneous acts of neighboring

four distinct practices indi-viduals enact to treat each other “as neighbors”: friendly recognition, parochial help-fulness, proactive intervention, and embracing and contest ing diversity.