A Trajectory for Community Networks

We argue that the World Wide Web, network communities, and computer-supported cooperative work have transformed the context for community networks, occasioning a reconstruction of the concept. We analyze features of proximate communities and use these as a basis for examining the design rationale for current implementations of community networks. In particular, we highlight multiple roles and relationships, social and material reciprocity, personal and institutional visibility and accountability, personal and collective efficacy, community-based institutions, and place. We use the analysis to identify directions for further study and development of community networking.