Living in Utopia: New ZealandÆs Intentional Communities

by Sargisson,Lucy

• ISBN13: 9780754642244
• ISBN10: 0754642240
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-10-28
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

In this book Lucy Sargisson and Lyman Tower Sargent, both established writers on utopian theory, turn their attention to real-life utopian communities. The book is based on their fieldwork and extensive archival research in New Zealand, a country with a special place in the history of utopianism. In telling the story of the New Zealand experience, Living in Utopia provides both transferable lessons in community, cooperation and social change and a unique insight into the utopianism at the heart of politics, society, and everyday life.

Table of Contents

List of Tables	ix
Acknowledgements	xi
Preface	xiii
1 Introductions	1	(10)
Introduction	1	(1)
What to Call these Communities	2	(4)
Past Scholarship	2	(3)
What is an Intentional Community?	5	(1)
New Zealand	6	(3)
Utopianism and/of the Colonised	7	(1)
The Problem of Maori Communalism	8	(1)
Methods	9	(2)
2 Contexts: New Zealand as a Utopia	11	(10)
Introduction	11	(1)
Colonisation	11	(1)
The Official Settlement Utopia	12	(3)
The Environment	15	(1)
The Economy	16	(1)
Tourism in Paradise	17	(1)
Land Politics	17	(1)
Conclusion: From Colonisation to Intentional Community	18	(3)
3 The Early Days: The Nineteenth Century	21	(12)
Introduction	21	(1)
Special Settlements	21	(1)
Independent Settlements	22	(1)
Proposals	22	(1)
State Farms	23	(1)
The Clarionites	24	(1)
Alexander Bickerton and the Federative Home or Wainoni	24	(4)
Havelock North: the Havelock Work and Radiant Living	28	(2)
Conclusion	30	(3)
4 The Twentieth Century: Beeville, James K. Baxter and the Ohu
Movement	33	(1)
Introduction	33	(1)
Beeville	33	(5)
James K. Baxter and Jerusalem	38	(3)
The Ohu Movement	41	(6)
Conclusion	47	(2)
5 Religious and Spiritual Communities	49	(30)
Introduction	49	(5)
Contemplative Religious Communities	54	(8)
Bodhinyanarama Buddhist Monastery	54	(6)
Carmelite Monastery, Christchurch	60	(1)
Community of the Sacred Name	61	(1)
Contemplative Religious Communities: Discussion	62	(1)
Religious Communities of Social Change	63	(5)
Motukarara Christian Retreat	63	(1)
Sisters of Compassion (Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion)	63	(2)
The Friends' Settlement/Quaker Acres	65	(1)
Sisters of Mercy	66	(2)
Religious Communities of Social Change: Discussion	68	(2)
Spiritual Communities of Personal Growth	70	(3)
Centrepoint	70	(2)
Titoki Healing Centre	72	(1)
Religious Communities of Personal Growth: Discussion	73	(1)
Gloriavale	74	(2)
Conclusion	76	(3)
6 Cooperative Lifestyles	79	(34)
Introduction	79	(1)
Cooperative Ownership	80	(3)
Pursuit of a Cooperative Lifestyle	83	(10)
Beachcomber/Freebird	83	(1)
Chippenham Community	84	(3)
Mansfield	87	(1)
Creekside	88	(2)
Katajuta	90	(1)
Peterborough Street	91	(2)
Co-Housing	93	(4)
Earthsong Eco-Neighbourhood	95	(2)
Feminist Communities	97	(1)
Earthspirit	97	(1)
Educational Communities	98	(2)
Te Ora	98	(1)
Timatanga	99	(1)
Anarchist Communities	100	(1)
Graham Downs (aka Renaissance)	101	(1)
Cooperation and Peace	101	(8)
Riverside	101	(8)
Conclusion: Cooperative Lifestyles	109	(4)
7 Environmentalist Communities	113	(26)
Introduction	113	(1)
Background Influences	114	(2)
New Zealand's Green Communities	116	(1)
1970's Rural Communes: The Older Generation	117	(7)
Karuna Falls	123	(1)
Moehau	123	(1)
Communal Organic Farms	124	(3)
Gricklegrass	124	(1)
Wilderland	125	(2)
Green Spiritual Communities	127	(4)
Anahata Retreat Centre	127	(1)
Gentle World	128	(1)
Tui Community	129	(2)
Eco-villages	131	(3)
Anahata	132	(1)
Otamatea Ecovillage	133	(1)
Conclusions: Green Communities in New Zealand	134	(5)
8 Conflict and Longevity	139	(18)
Introduction	139	(1)
Conflict and Intentional Communities	140	(1)
Theorising Conflict	141	(3)
Conflict as Dangerous	141	(2)
Conflict as Desirable or Socially Useful	143	(1)
Conflict in New Zealand's Intentional Communities	144	(2)
Three Kinds of Conflict	146	(6)
Conflicts of Principle	147	(1)
Domestic Conflict	147	(3)
Conflict over Relationships	150	(2)
Surviving Conflict	152	(1)
Conclusion	153	(4)
9 Conclusion: What Have We Learned? Lasting Lessons from New Zealand	157	(28)
Lasting Lessons for Studying Utopia	157	(2)
Good Place or No Place?	157	(1)
Communitarianism and Utopianism	158	(1)
Lasting Lessons for Studying Intentional Communities	159	(4)
Concerning Generalisations	159	(1)
Classifying Communities	160	(1)
Measuring Success	161	(2)
Concerning Homogeneity	163	(1)
Lasting Lessons for Living Together	163	(19)
Decisions Need to be Legitimate as Well as Mutually Binding	163	(5)
Regarding Change	168	(4)
Children	172	(2)
Balancing Needs: People Who Live in Intentional Communities Need to Learn How to Balance their Own Needs with Those of the Group	174	(1)
Sustainability. Intentional Communities Need to be Sustainable	174	(4)
Social Sustainability	178	(3)
The Need for Support	181	(1)
Final Words	182	(3)
Appendix I: Katajuta Community Agreements	185	(2)
Appendix II: Recognised Forms of Land Ownership in New Zealand	187	(4)
Works Cited	191	(16)
Index	207