Communities Articles
Here is a selection of articles from previous back issues of Communities magazine. All back issues up to issue #184 are available for download here.
For more information about Communities magazine, visit its new publisher at GEN-US.
Innisfree Village: Lifesharing in a Service Community
Posted on August 24, 2016 byAdults with disabilities and residential caregiver volunteers share the challenges and joys of community life at Innisfree.
Service and Activism, #172 Contents
Posted on August 18, 2016 byOur Fall issue explores Service and Activism in intentional communities. Authors share their stories of living and working in both service- and activist-oriented groups, including Camphill communities, Innisfree Village, Gesundheit!, Konohana Family, Magic, Black Bulga, and more. How do service and activism build community, both within a group and in the larger world? How can communitarians contribute to the well-being of the planet and its people? We also explore how long-standing, mission-focused communities—including Harbin Hot Springs, ZEGG, and EcoVillage at Ithaca—have evolved over time, and the latest research about happiness in community.
Cloughjordan Ecovillage: Modeling the Transition to a Low-Carbon Society
Posted on August 1, 2016 byIrish ecovillagers achieve the smallest ecological footprints recorded in their country.
True Sustainability: Indigenous Pathways
Posted on July 21, 2016 byAt Maitreya Mountain Village, mainstream pragmatism meets radical idealism.
Creating Carbon-Negative Communities: Ecovillages and the UN’s New Sustainable Development Goals
Posted on July 11, 2016 byDiverse ecovillages are modeling how to create more just, equitable, and sustainable human societies.
The Bridge to a Greener World
Posted on July 1, 2016 byThis Australian community’s bridge is a lot more than just a bridge.
Want an Ecovillage? Stay Put!
Posted on June 21, 2016 byHow can we care for a place if we’re not there, day after day, year after year, paying attention?
Ecovillages Worldwide—Local Solutions for Global Problems
Posted on June 11, 2016 byA wide array of ecovillages throughout the Global North and South address our shared challenges.
Overcoming Apartheid—the Global Ecovillage Network
Posted on June 1, 2016 byCommunities worldwide are exploring how to heal our separation from each other and the natural world.
Ecovillages and the FIC
Posted on May 24, 2016 by1 Comment
The Fellowship for Intentional Community and the Global Ecovillage Network partner in support of empowered citizens and communities designing for a sustainable future.
Ecovillages around the World, #171 Contents
Posted on May 18, 2016 byIn our Summer issue, the Global Ecovillage Network, Gaia Trust, and the FIC partner to offer stories of pioneering efforts worldwide by communities working to incorporate the four dimensions of sustainability: social, ecological, economic, and worldview. We explore local solutions to global problems, creating carbon-negative communities, restoring our relationships to one another and the land, learning from indigenous groups, ecovillage strategies in areas of crisis, and more.
Queer, Person of Color, or Low-Income; Is Cohousing Possible for Me?
Posted on May 1, 2016 bySome creative solutions are starting to counteract cohousing’s demographic homogeneity, but significant obstacles remain.
Leaps of Faith
Posted on April 21, 2016 by2 Comments
Two families leave a thriving cohousing community to follow their shared dreams as a tight-knit intergenerational group.
Common Fire’s Top Ten Hard-Earned Tips for Community Success
Posted on April 11, 2016 by1 Comment
The sometimes triumphant, sometimes traumatic experiences of the three Common Fire communities yield wisdom relevant to anyone working to create a community.
Off-Grid, and In Community: ’Tis Easier to Find than to Found
Posted on April 1, 2016 by1 Comment
The co-director of Maitreya Mountain Village suggests others not follow his example.
Finding a Healthy, Happy Cohousing Community that Fits Your Values
Posted on March 21, 2016 by1 Comment
A cohouser offers resources and tips on how to find your community.
Rediscovering Community: A family’s journey back to appreciating Home
Posted on March 11, 2016 by1 Comment
An active search for a new community allows one family to explore core questions.
Words of Experience: Starting a Community
Posted on March 1, 2016 by1 Comment
A founder shares a well-learned lesson: “It is a LOT of work to start an intentional community. A LOT.”
The New Communities Directory: A Star Chart for Seekers and Founders
Posted on February 25, 2016 by4 Comments
Whether you’re starting a community or looking to join one, the new Communities Directory is an essential resource.
Finding or Starting a Community, #170 Contents
Posted on February 22, 2016 byThose seeking an intentional community are often faced with a choice: find it, or found it? Whether looking to join an existing community or working to start a new one, aspiring communitarians can glean invaluable lessons from the experiences of other seekers and pioneers. Our Spring issue is full of success stories, cautionary tales, adventures, reflections, advice, and resources for anyone interested in Finding or Starting a Community.
Intentional Communities: Something Old, Something New
Posted on February 1, 2016 byIntentional communities—people gathering to share life together, to discover meaning, and to have an impact beyond themselves—have been part of the human landscape for centuries. Many predate Christianity. Hinduism, Buddhism,… Read More
Offerings to the Land
Posted on January 21, 2016 byBefriend the land where you are, and you will never be lonely.
The Unexpected Journey
Posted on January 11, 2016 by1 Comment
A three-month living/learning seminar in alternative communities still resonates three decades later.
Getting to Community and Life after Community: Collectivism vs. Individuality
Posted on January 1, 2016 by1 Comment
Togetherness and solitude, action and reflection—our lives give us times for each.
An Evolving Movement
Posted on December 21, 2015 by1 Comment
The FIC’s new Executive Director reflects on his and the organization’s converging paths.
Finding Community Outside of “Community”
Posted on December 11, 2015 by1 Comment
Myriad groups and connections on “the outside” don’t call themselves intentional—but sometimes are.
Three Kinds of Community—Three Kinds of Experience and Learning
Posted on December 1, 2015 byWhether with refugees, in the inner city, or in intentional groups, community holds life-long lessons.
Many Faces
Posted on November 26, 2015 byOur new issue, supported by High Wind Association, explores the many forms community can take.
The Many Faces of Community, #169 Contents
Posted on November 24, 2015 by4 Comments
Community can take many forms other than “intentional.” In our Winter issue, veterans of the High Wind Association network and others share their experiences exploring and cultivating community both within and outside of intentional community settings.
Nobody Likes Bosses
Posted on November 1, 2015 byEven an anti-authoritarian household needs agreements—but who and how to enforce them is another question.
