Counterfeit Community (Paperback)

John F. Freie

ISBN 10: 0847688720 / ISBN 13: 9780847688722

Published by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, Lanham, MD, 1998

About this Item

Paperback. From gated communities to Heaven's Gate, the idea and practice of community in America have not only declined but mutated. In the process, Americans' longing to be connected to something greater than themselves has intensified. This longing, coupled with an absence of genuine community alternatives, opens the way to counterfeit claims by those promoting economic rather than social agendas. This book examines "counterfeit community" as it has become manifest throughout contemporary American societyin housing, as it shapes our public spaces; in the workplace; in politics; in religion; and most recently, in cyberspace. Promises of community come from those hawking exclusive golf course housing developments, from shopping malls and shopping channels, from "total quality management" and mission statement rhetoric, from televangelists and electronic town meetingsand all lure us in, only to disappoint. As Counterfeit Community shows, building genuine community means no quick fixes and no false appeals. The hard work of weaving relationships must be combined with political, economic, and social change to counter the counterfeit trend. Marshaling positive examples of genuine community as well as increasing our sensitivity to false ringers, this book starts us along the way. From gated communities to Heaven's Gate, the idea and practice of community in America has not only declined but mutated. This text examines the counterfeit community in America from a number of perspectives revealing that building a genuine community means no quick fixes. This item is printed on demand. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9780847688722

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Counterfeit Community (Paperback)
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, Lanham, MD
• Publication Date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0847688720
• ISBN 13: 9780847688722
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

From gated communities to Heaven's Gate, the idea and practice of community in America have not only declined but mutated. In the process, Americans' longing to be connected to something greater than themselves has intensified. This longing, coupled with an absence of genuine community alternatives, opens the way to counterfeit claims by those promoting economic rather than social agendas. This book examines _counterfeit community_ as it has become manifest throughout contemporary American societyin housing, as it shapes our public spaces; in the workplace; in politics; in religion; and most recently, in cyberspace.

About the Author

John F. Freie is associate professor of political science at Le Moyne College.