intc:intentional_communities

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revision Previous revision
Next revision		 Previous revision
intc:intentional_communities [2026/03/11 22:46] – [Related topics] Katja Durraniintc:intentional_communities [2026/04/01 14:40] (current) – [Specialist curators of this topic] Simon Grant
Line 1: Line 1:
-# Intentional communities+This topic is part of [[gt:community|Community & culture]]. 
 +====== Intentional communities ======
  
  
Line 10: Line 11:
  
  
-## What are intentional communities?+===== What are intentional communities? =====
  
 There are lots of ways to live communally, from shared houses to communes to traditional villages, but we're talking here about _intentional_ communities - groups of people who come together _intentionally_ to share various aspects of their lives; the extent of the sharing depends on the community. There are lots of ways to live communally, from shared houses to communes to traditional villages, but we're talking here about _intentional_ communities - groups of people who come together _intentionally_ to share various aspects of their lives; the extent of the sharing depends on the community.
Line 61: Line 62:
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-### History+==== History ====
  
 There have been, and still are, many traditional and tribal groups in which people live communally, but the first known example of intentional communal living was the [Essenes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essenes), on the shores of the Dead Sea over 2000 years ago. Since then, famous examples include the [Diggers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diggers), religious groups like the [Shakers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakers) (who are no longer around), [Hutterites](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hutterite), [Mennonites](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mennonites) and [Amish](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish) (who are), and the 19th century utopian communities of [Robert Owen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Owen) and [Charles Fourier](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_fourier). Mexico ([Ejido](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ejido)), Israel ([Kibbutz](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibbutz)) and Tanzania ([Ujamaa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ujamaa)) introduced (or in the case of Ejido, re-introduced) large-scale intentional communal systems in the 20th century; and China ([People's Communes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_communes)) and Russia ([Kolkhoz](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolkhoz)) introduced decidedly unintentional ones. There have been, and still are, many traditional and tribal groups in which people live communally, but the first known example of intentional communal living was the [Essenes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essenes), on the shores of the Dead Sea over 2000 years ago. Since then, famous examples include the [Diggers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diggers), religious groups like the [Shakers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakers) (who are no longer around), [Hutterites](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hutterite), [Mennonites](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mennonites) and [Amish](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish) (who are), and the 19th century utopian communities of [Robert Owen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Owen) and [Charles Fourier](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_fourier). Mexico ([Ejido](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ejido)), Israel ([Kibbutz](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibbutz)) and Tanzania ([Ujamaa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ujamaa)) introduced (or in the case of Ejido, re-introduced) large-scale intentional communal systems in the 20th century; and China ([People's Communes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_communes)) and Russia ([Kolkhoz](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolkhoz)) introduced decidedly unintentional ones.
Line 82: Line 83:
  
  
-## What are the benefits of intentional communities?+===== What are the benefits of intentional communities? =====
  
-### Personal+==== Personal ====
  
 - Counters the loneliness and alienation that many people experience in modern consumer society. - Counters the loneliness and alienation that many people experience in modern consumer society.
Line 111: Line 112:
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-### Environmental+==== Environmental ====
  
 - Shared resources - such as laundry and kitchen facilities, vehicles and tools. - Shared resources - such as laundry and kitchen facilities, vehicles and tools.
Line 137: Line 138:
 </figure> </figure>
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
-### Financial+==== Financial ====
  
 - Can provide affordable housing. - Can provide affordable housing.
Line 159: Line 160:
  
  
-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
 If you think you might be interested in living communally, think about what kind of community would suit you best, and do some research about what kinds of intentional communities are out there. It doesn't matter in which order you do this - you might find a community that you really like, maybe because of the people living there, that on paper, doesn't tick all your boxes when it comes to the criteria you're looking for. If you think you might be interested in living communally, think about what kind of community would suit you best, and do some research about what kinds of intentional communities are out there. It doesn't matter in which order you do this - you might find a community that you really like, maybe because of the people living there, that on paper, doesn't tick all your boxes when it comes to the criteria you're looking for.
Line 212: Line 213:
 Here's a [guide](http://www.thefec.org/starting-a-community/) to starting a community, by the Federation of Egalitarian Communities. It's US-centric, but with lots of useful general information Here's a [guide](http://www.thefec.org/starting-a-community/) to starting a community, by the Federation of Egalitarian Communities. It's US-centric, but with lots of useful general information
 . .
-## Further resources+===== Forum ===== 
 + 
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:community|Community & culture]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/community). 
 + 
 +===== Further resources =====
  
 * [Diggers & Dreamers](http://www.diggersanddreamers.org.uk/) – UK directory * [Diggers & Dreamers](http://www.diggersanddreamers.org.uk/) – UK directory
Line 218: Line 223:
 * [Global Eco-village Network](https://ecovillage.org/) – global federation of ecological communities * [Global Eco-village Network](https://ecovillage.org/) – global federation of ecological communities
 * [Foundation for Intentional Community](http://www.ic.org/) – listing of US and international communities, plus ‘Communities’ magazine * [Foundation for Intentional Community](http://www.ic.org/) – listing of US and international communities, plus ‘Communities’ magazine
-## Related topics+ 
 +===== Related topics =====
  
 - [[hcoo:Housing co-operatives]] - [[hcoo:Housing co-operatives]]
 - [[coop:Co-operatives]] - [[coop:Co-operatives]]
 - [[smal:Small|Small is beautiful]] - [[smal:Small|Small is beautiful]]
-- [[coho:Cohousing]] 
 - [[pers:Personal development]] - [[pers:Personal development]]
-- [[wwoo:Wwoofing]]+- [[wwoo:WWOOFing]]
 - [[soci:Sociocracy]] - [[soci:Sociocracy]]
 - [[smho:Smallholding]] - [[smho:Smallholding]]
  
  
-## Specialist curators of this topic+===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
-* [[p:Dave Darby]] +* [[user:dave|Dave Darby]] 
-* [[p:Simon Grant]]+* [[user:asimong|Simon Grant]]
  
  • intc/intentional_communities.1773269207.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2026/03/11 22:46
  • by Katja Durrani