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.Ā 

Innisfree Village: Lifesharing in a Service Community

Posted on August 24, 2016 by

Adults 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 by

Our 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 communitiesā€”including Harbin Hot Springs, ZEGG, and EcoVillage at Ithacaā€”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 by

Irish ecovillagers achieve the smallest ecological footprints recorded in their country.


True Sustainability: Indigenous Pathways

Posted on July 21, 2016 by

At Maitreya Mountain Village, mainstream pragmatism meets radical idealism.


Creating Carbon-Negative Communities: Ecovillages and the UNā€™s New Sustainable Development Goals

Posted on July 11, 2016 by

Diverse ecovillages are modeling how to create more just, equitable, and sustainable human societies.


The Bridge to a Greener World

Posted on July 1, 2016 by

This Australian communityā€™s bridge is a lot more than just a bridge.


Want an Ecovillage? Stay Put!

Posted on June 21, 2016 by

How can we care for a place if weā€™re not there, day after day, year after year, paying attention?


Ecovillages Worldwideā€”Local Solutions for Global Problems

Posted on June 11, 2016 by

A wide array of ecovillages throughout the Global North and South address our shared challenges.


Overcoming Apartheidā€”the Global Ecovillage Network

Posted on June 1, 2016 by

Communities worldwide are exploring how to heal our separation from each other and the natural world.


Ecovillages and the FIC

Posted on May 24, 2016 by
1 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 by

In 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 by

Some creative solutions are starting to counteract cohousingā€™s demographic homogeneity, but significant obstacles remain.


Leaps of Faith

Posted on April 21, 2016 by
2 Comments

Two families leave a thriving cohousing community to follow their shared dreams as a tight-knit intergenerational group.


Common Fireā€™s Top Ten Hard-Earned Tips for Community Success

Posted on April 11, 2016 by
1 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: ā€™Tis Easier to Find than to Found

Posted on April 1, 2016 by
1 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 by
1 Comment

A cohouser offers resources and tips on how to find your community.


Rediscovering Community: A familyā€™s journey back to appreciating Home

Posted on March 11, 2016 by
1 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 by
1 Comment

A founder shares a well-learned lesson: ā€œIt is a LOT of work to start an intentional community. A LOT.ā€


The New Communities Directory: A Star Chart for Seekers and Founders

Posted on February 25, 2016 by
4 Comments

Whether youā€™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 by

Those 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 by

Intentional communitiesā€”people gathering to share life together, to discover meaning, and to have an impact beyond themselvesā€”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 by

Befriend the land where you are, and you will never be lonely.


The Unexpected Journey

Posted on January 11, 2016 by
1 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 by
1 Comment

Togetherness and solitude, action and reflectionā€”our lives give us times for each.


An Evolving Movement

Posted on December 21, 2015 by
1 Comment

The FICā€™s new Executive Director reflects on his and the organizationā€™s converging paths.


Finding Community Outside of ā€œCommunityā€

Posted on December 11, 2015 by
1 Comment

Myriad groups and connections on ā€œthe outsideā€ donā€™t call themselves intentionalā€”but sometimes are.


Three Kinds of Communityā€”Three Kinds of Experience and Learning

Posted on December 1, 2015 by

Whether with refugees, in the inner city, or in intentional groups, community holds life-long lessons.


Many Faces

Posted on November 26, 2015 by

Our 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 by
4 Comments

Community can take many forms other than ā€œintentional.ā€ 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 by

Even an anti-authoritarian household needs agreementsā€”but who and how to enforce them is another question.