The Community Question: The Intimate Networks of East Yorkers

TLDR

The Community Question, central to sociology, asks how large‑scale divisions of labor shape the organization and content of primary social ties. The authors propose using network analysis to investigate the Community Question by focusing on linkages rather than predefined groups or territories. They evaluate three competing positions—Lost, Saved, Liberted—using data on the structure and use of intimate networks among 845 adult residents of East York, Toronto. Intimate networks are widespread, kin and non‑kin, non‑local, asymmetric, and sparsely connected; they provide help for most emergencies and daily matters, and the data largely support the Liberated argument with some support for Saved.

Abstract

The Community Question has set the agenda for much or much of sociology. It is the question of how large-scale social systemic divisions of labor affect the organization and content of primary ties. Network analysis is proposed as a useful approach to the Community Question, because, by focusing on linkages, it avoids the a priori confinement of analysis to solidary groupings and territorial units. Three contentions about the Question are evaluated: arguments that Community is Lost, Saved or Liberted. Data are presented about the structure and use of the "intimate" networks of 845 adult residents of East York, Toronto. Intimate networks are found to be prevalent, composed of both kin and nonkin, nonlocal, asymmetric, and of sparse density. Help in dealing with both emergencies and everyday matters is available from almost all intimate networks, but from only a minority of intimate ties. The data provide broad support for the Liberated argument, in conjunction with some portions of the Saved argument.