A Place Within a Place: Location Choice by Intentional Communities

Heli Zacharya, Avinoam Meir, Nurit Alfasi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The classic geographical question of choosing a location has received little attention in studies on urban intentional communities (ICs), despite ICs being, as we suggest, geographical entities. As a group of people organised under shared norms and goals, who reside together in a particular geographical space and are involved in frequent, intensive relationships, an IC requires a location (city or neighbourhood) that is commensurate with its goals. We look upon it as a multi-stage process of selecting a location that also involves the ex post-facto evaluation of ICs' sense of place and place-making needed for the chosen location to be successful. Three Israeli ICs are analysed through interviews with insights drawn regarding this process. We propose using these insights as a foundation towards a broader global discussion on locational choice by ICs.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)469-482
Number of pages14
JournalTijdschrift Voor Economische en Sociale Geografie
Volume113
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Dec 2022

Keywords

  • Israel
  • geographical entity
  • intentional community
  • location choice
  • place-making
  • sense of place

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geography, Planning and Development
  • Economics and Econometrics

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