Emotion, Gender and the Sustainability of Communities

Abstract

Emotional expression is the lifeblood of any organisation or community. The paper reviews recent approaches, research issues and trends in emotion research and then applies insights from this body of research to the area of community sustainability. A particular focus is the gendered nature of emotion and how emotion facilitates connections within communities. Utilising examples from the author's case study research in a women's community organisation in Melbourne, Australia, it contrasts the barren emotional landscape of many organisations with the vibrance and warmth of a feminist community organisation, and considers how ICTs may either facilitate or constrain this emotional expression. It draws implications on the vital role of emotion in sustaining communities.