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Alternative Communities in Aotearoa, New Zealand: The Cohousing Lifestyle A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Applied Psychology (Community) at University of Waikato by Abha Dod University of Waikato 2013 Dedication For the past, present, and future of community spirit He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata! He tangata! He tangata! What’s the most important thing in the world? It is people! It is people! It is people! ii Abstract In this research, I aimed to explore the benefits and challenges of living in a cohousing community, as a form of intentional community. I also aimed to investigate the impact of intentional design on the experience of living within the cohousing model of community. Information was gathered from fourteen residents of Earthsong Eco-Neighbourhood, both current and past, via interviews. The analysis revealed that the lifestyle within cohousing communities produced a positive experience of collective living, accompanied by specific benefits and challenges, as expressed by residents of Earthsong. The primary benefits of living in cohousing included social connection/support, shared facilities and responsibilities, and environmental design. The associated challenges included the management of interpersonal relationships, community decision-making, and practicality of design features. The unique design of cohousing influenced social, economic, and environmental aspects of day to day living. This impacted the experience of living in cohousing as residents consciously engaged in sustainable living practices. In support of theoretical explanations of intentional community, residents of Earthsong expressed positive experiences of living in cohousing. They believed that the environment was supportive, cooperative, and enjoyable. The community design was seen to impact the experience of cohousing as the focus placed on social connections allowed for the sharing of support and resources. In turn, a safe and cohesive neighbourhood made day to day life easier and enjoyable for residents of Earthsong. This study highlighted the social, economic, and environmental benefits and challenges of intentional community design. iii Acknowledgements I would like to begin my expressing my gratitude to Earthsong Eco-Neighbourhood for welcoming me into their extra-ordinary community for the purpose of this research. I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with residents of Earthsong, particularly the participants of this study. I hope this thesis makes a valuable contribution towards the community’s educational aspirations. I am grateful for Dr Cate Curtis and Dr Neville Robertson for supervising me throughout the research process. I would like to thank Cate for the guidance she provided and Neville for the encouragement to undertake this research. I am grateful to Shemana Cassim for being my reliable and active lifesaver. This would not have been possible without your help. I am grateful to the Nixon family for being my support system throughout this journey. Your interest, ideas, and inspiration helped shape this thesis. I am grateful to all the people I met throughout the year who engaged in conversation about this research project. Your interest and enthusiasm motivated me along the way. I am extremely grateful to my family, for simply being there. Your existence continues to make everything possible. iv Table of Contents Chapter One: Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1 Cohousing .......................................................................................................................................................... 2 Earthsong Eco-Neighbourhood .......................................................................................................................... 5 The value of studying intentional communities ............................................................................................... 14 The aims of the present research ..................................................................................................................... 16 Thesis outline ................................................................................................................................................... 16 Chapter Two: Literature Review .................................................................................................................... 18 Utopianism ....................................................................................................................................................... 19 Communal Living.............................................................................................................................................. 26 Intentional Communities .................................................................................................................................. 36 Cohousing ........................................................................................................................................................ 49 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................................ 58 Chapter Three: Methodology ......................................................................................................................... 60 Approach .......................................................................................................................................................... 60 Recruitment and Residents .............................................................................................................................. 61 Interviews and Recording ................................................................................................................................. 62 Transcription and Analysis ............................................................................................................................... 66 Ethical Considerations ...................................................................................................................................... 68 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................................ 70 Chapter Four: Findings ................................................................................................................................... 71 LIVING CLOSELY WITH OTHERS ........................................................................................................................ 72 Connection ....................................................................................................................................................... 72 Interpersonal relationships .............................................................................................................................. 84 Summary .......................................................................................................................................................... 95 SHARED OWNERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY .................................................................................................... 96 Sharing ............................................................................................................................................................. 96 v Responsibility ................................................................................................................................................. 103 Summary ........................................................................................................................................................ 111 INTENTIONAL DESIGN .................................................................................................................................... 112 Design ............................................................................................................................................................ 113 Practicality ..................................................................................................................................................... 124 Summary ........................................................................................................................................................ 130 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................................... 131 Chapter Five: Discussion .............................................................................................................................