Survival of an African Nova Scotian Community : Up the Avenue, Revisited

Abstract

This is a sociohistorical project that uses the case study of an African Nova Scotian community to explore the community from two perspectives. Firstly, the relies on a 'traditional' conception of community as developed by Ferdinand Tennies in his 1887 book Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft. Secondly, the project explores a 'new' definition of community, supported such as Wellman and Leighton (1979) and their network analysis, Granovetter's (1973) argument for the importance of weak ties, and Clark's (1973) for the degree of solidarity and significance as fundamental components of community. These new models argue for the continuing importance of community, even for dispersed groups.

This case study is developed using in-depth interviews, and a semi-structured questionnaire, complemented by archival and government documents. As well, a collaborative approach is used in which the research participants figure prominently, and their voices are heard extensively throughout the text. The findings strongly support Tennies 'traditional' conception of community that is based on kin, religion, territoriality, and ethnicity. As well, the new of community finds secondary support in an elaboration of networks and connections due to weak ties. However, the findings strongly (1973) analysis based on the degree of solidarity and significance as the major factors in the continuing salience of community. Relevance of the importance for future research are discussed.