How does broad CIT implementation affect the contemporary community? Concerns : Internet use is a time- consuming activity, which might replace time spent on neighborly relations and community involvement. Thus, internet use might decrease community participation and involvement. Expectations: CMC in geographically based communities has the potential to support and develop FTF community relations. Thus, CIT might solve problems associated with decreased community participation.

Community Networking: The process by which computer supported communication serves the local geographic community and responds to the needs of that community (O’Neil, 2001). Community Networks can: Enhance citizens’ participation in local politics. Increase social capital by promoting civic engagement and interaction between citizens. Empower individuals in the community.

Place: Modiin and Ramat Beit Shemesh - Suburbs of Jerusalem. Established around 1995, by local residents. Purposes : Sharing information among residents, providing information to prospective residents on the location of facilities in the suburb, and supporting local businesses and community services. Language: Messages are posted in English. Subscribed members: around 300 in each list (Feb. 2001) Rules: all subscribed members can post messages, moderators hardly interfere. Volume of messages: (Feb. 2001): RBS=998, Modiin=202.

Data collection : Subscription to the lists and following the messages posted on the lists for a few months. Interviews with list moderators. Content analysis of all messages posted on both lists during one randomly sampled month (1190 messages in both lists, posted by 401 different users). Web survey of mailing list users. N=153, response rate was 38%.   Interviews with moderators and municipality officials.

Who are the users? Age: average 38.24, s.d.=9.5, range Education: mean=16.6 years, s.d.=2.3 years Family status: 88% were currently married with an average of 2.34 children living at home. Lifestyle: 68% orthodox, 15% secular, 14% conservative. Place of birth: 80.4% English speaking countries, 10.5% were born in Israel. Language: 15.7% Hebrew, 81% English or Hebrew and English. Length of membership in the list: 24% less than a year, 64% 1-4 years, 12%, more than 4 years.

What are the lists all about?

Distribution of mailing list uses:

Conclusions: The lists encourage subscribers’ participation, interaction and involvement in the communities, and thus enhance community social capital. In both communities the mailing list proved to play a role in improving the social integration of individuals into the extended community, not by replacing but rather by complementing other community contexts.

Future research prospects:  Examining the “real” geographical communities: residents, institutions and activities.  Longitudinal analysis: Exploring the manner in which the list has affected issues relating to development and change in the communities investigated.

Community Networking Mailing list membership Information flow, gathering and distribution Community Social Capital. Social Integration.

For further information: Mesch, Gustavo and Yael Levanon (2003). Community Networking and Locally- Based Social Ties in Two Suburban Localities City and Community. 2,