The dark side of community development and place attachment in a diverse neighborhood

Abstract

This study explores the “dark” aspects of residents’ place attachment within an ethnically diverse neighborhood from a community development perspective. Using qualitative interviews, the study investigates residents’ perceptions of place and community attachment in a neighborhood in Jerusalem undergoing demographic changes. The findings revealed that feelings for the place and community were reflected in three different patterns of attachment: positive, negative/ambivalent, and avoidant. A relationship was found between the pattern of place attachment, residents’ responses to changes in their secure base, and the coping strategies they perceived as available in response to demographic changes in their neighborhood. This study highlights the need for researchers and community development proffesionals to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to address social tensions in diverse neigborhoods and to consider the darker aspects of place and community attachment. This knowledge can inform strategies for fostering more inclusive and harmonious communities in the face of demographic changes.