Constructing a collective sense of place in Pitkin, Colorado: a case study

Abstract

The interpretive research paradigm is used to investigate community constructions of place. "Sense of place'' and how it is shared across a community is of specific interest. Social networks are used as a metaphor for the investigation of this shared phenomenon. The study was conducted in Pitkin, Colorado, a historic mining community on the Western Slope of Colorado's Continental Divide. Grounded theory methods were used to generate three theoretical propositions concerning the construction of a shared sense of place within the community of Pitkin, Colorado. The first proposition is that interpersonal social networks are largely responsible for initially introducing people to the community. The second proposition is that organizational networks within the community mediate local processes that are central in determining the community's shared sense of place. The third proposition is that direct personal connections are required for a given part of history to be considered a viable community narrative.