Community Psychologists Dealing with Ubiquitous Communities: A Cross-Case Analysis of Experiences Intertwining Online and Offline Social Environments and Processes

Theoretical background. Modern communities have become ubiquitous – that is, citizens are able to experience them in person and online simultaneously – due to the increasing intertwinement of online and offline environments, processes, and social dynamics. These pervasive changes require Community Psychologists to become aware of their theoretical and – most importantly – practical implications, so as to properly adapt their methodologies, approaches, and tools to such complexities, also detecting new ones when available or needed. Aims and Methods. This contribution aims at deepening Community Psychologists’ work within ubiquitous communities based on a cross-case analysis of different research-interventions and projects. The selection was based on the following criteria: they (a) addressed the peculiarities of modern communities by paying attention to (b) traditional Community Psychology pillars and topics, along with (c) opportunities related to new technologies and the stemming ubiquitous social dynamics and environments. The four selected case studies were analyzed paying attention to: (a) methodologies and tools; (b) unfolded social processes and dynamics; (c) strengths and weaknesses of their implementation. Results and Implications. The results unpack: (a) main topics; (b) new and renewed methodologies and tools; (c) process-related issues, strengths, and weaknesses. After discussing the results of this analysis, the main lessons learned will be shared. Altogether, this can promote a shared understanding of the potential stemming from Community Psychology interventions addressing ubiquitous communities as well as of the difficulties that may arise when dealing with these new environments and processes, and how to overcome them. Limitations and Future Directions. The main limitation refers to the small number of considered cases; however, as interventions addressing modern communities as ubiquitous social ecosystems still represent a relatively new and expanding field, these results can represent a meaningful starting point for future Community Psychology research and interventions in this field.