Information technology and social cohesion: a tale of two villages

Claire Wallace; Kathryn Vincent; Cristian Luguzan; Leanne Townsend; David Beel

doi:10.1016/j.jrurstud.2016.06.005

Information technology and social cohesion: a tale of two villages

Claire Wallace, Kathryn Vincent, Cristian Luguzan, Leanne Townsend, David Beel

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Abstract

The study is about social cohesion in rural communities and how
this interacts with Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Social cohesion is considered in terms of both system integration and social integration. System integration includes business and cultural organisations, civil society and communal spaces on and offline, which can provide bridging mechanisms to bring together disparate social groups. Social integration refers to more informal mechanisms of inclusion, including social networks, a sense of belonging, commitment to the common good. The paper considers these elements of social cohesion in relation to the intertwining of on and offline relationships by examining two contrasting rural communities in Northern Scotland. The paper concludes that ICT can play very different roles in social cohesion for different social and cultural groups as well as for different kinds of locational communities, but that ICT is becoming an integral part of rural social relations.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	426-434
Number of pages	9
Journal	Journal of Rural Studies
Volume	54
Early online date	4 Jul 2016
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2016.06.005
Publication status	Published - Aug 2017

Bibliographical note

Acknowledgements
This research was made possible by a grant from the EPSRC “Dot.Rural Digital Economy Hub” (EP/G066051/1) at the University of Aberdeen and EPSRC Communities and Culture Network+ (EP/K003585/1).

Keywords

social capital
social cohesion
rural communities
quality of life
ICT
social and system integration

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© 2015. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Accepted author manuscript, 1.47 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Claire Wallace
- Social Science, Sociology - Chair in Sociology
- School of Language, Literature, Music & Visual Culture, Centre for Citizenship, Civil Society & Rule of Law (CISRUL)
Person: Academic

Cite this

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title = "Information technology and social cohesion: a tale of two villages",

abstract = "The study is about social cohesion in rural communities and howthis interacts with Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Social cohesion is considered in terms of both system integration and social integration. System integration includes business and cultural organisations, civil society and communal spaces on and offline, which can provide bridging mechanisms to bring together disparate social groups. Social integration refers to more informal mechanisms of inclusion, including social networks, a sense of belonging, commitment to the common good. The paper considers these elements of social cohesion in relation to the intertwining of on and offline relationships by examining two contrasting rural communities in Northern Scotland. The paper concludes that ICT can play very different roles in social cohesion for different social and cultural groups as well as for different kinds of locational communities, but that ICT is becoming an integral part of rural social relations.",

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author = "Claire Wallace and Kathryn Vincent and Cristian Luguzan and Leanne Townsend and David Beel",

note = "Acknowledgements This research was made possible by a grant from the EPSRC “Dot.Rural Digital Economy Hub” (EP/G066051/1) at the University of Aberdeen and EPSRC Communities and Culture Network+ (EP/K003585/1). ",

year = "2017",

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doi = "10.1016/j.jrurstud.2016.06.005",

language = "English",

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AU - Wallace, Claire

AU - Vincent, Kathryn

AU - Luguzan, Cristian

AU - Townsend, Leanne

AU - Beel, David

N1 - Acknowledgements This research was made possible by a grant from the EPSRC “Dot.Rural Digital Economy Hub” (EP/G066051/1) at the University of Aberdeen and EPSRC Communities and Culture Network+ (EP/K003585/1).

PY - 2017/8

Y1 - 2017/8

N2 - The study is about social cohesion in rural communities and howthis interacts with Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Social cohesion is considered in terms of both system integration and social integration. System integration includes business and cultural organisations, civil society and communal spaces on and offline, which can provide bridging mechanisms to bring together disparate social groups. Social integration refers to more informal mechanisms of inclusion, including social networks, a sense of belonging, commitment to the common good. The paper considers these elements of social cohesion in relation to the intertwining of on and offline relationships by examining two contrasting rural communities in Northern Scotland. The paper concludes that ICT can play very different roles in social cohesion for different social and cultural groups as well as for different kinds of locational communities, but that ICT is becoming an integral part of rural social relations.

AB - The study is about social cohesion in rural communities and howthis interacts with Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Social cohesion is considered in terms of both system integration and social integration. System integration includes business and cultural organisations, civil society and communal spaces on and offline, which can provide bridging mechanisms to bring together disparate social groups. Social integration refers to more informal mechanisms of inclusion, including social networks, a sense of belonging, commitment to the common good. The paper considers these elements of social cohesion in relation to the intertwining of on and offline relationships by examining two contrasting rural communities in Northern Scotland. The paper concludes that ICT can play very different roles in social cohesion for different social and cultural groups as well as for different kinds of locational communities, but that ICT is becoming an integral part of rural social relations.

KW - social capital

KW - social cohesion

KW - rural communities

KW - quality of life

KW - ICT

KW - social and system integration

U2 - 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2016.06.005

DO - 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2016.06.005

M3 - Article

SN - 0743-0167

VL - 54

SP - 426

EP - 434

JO - Journal of Rural Studies

JF - Journal of Rural Studies

ER -

Information technology and social cohesion: a tale of two villages

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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Claire Wallace

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