The Anatomy of Neighbour Relations

Abstract

Relations between neighbours represent informal social relations that constitute a part of everyday life for virtually all individuals in contemporary urban societies. While aspects of neighbour relations have been studied in connection with research on local communities, gentrification, and neighbourhood effects, little research focusing specifically on interactions between neighbours has been conducted and theoretical reflection on the central concepts remains lacking. This article attempts to fill this research gap by developing a theoretical framework for the sociological understanding and investigation of neighbour relations. The research material used consists of previous studies on neighbour relations. The method for the task was analysis of concepts coupled with theoretical reasoning based on a review and a synthesis of relevant previous research. Familiar concepts like ‘neighbour’, ‘neighbouring’, and ‘neighbourliness’ are scrutinised, deconstructed, and redefined, noting that there are often two perspectives on each: the experiences of residents and those of outside observers. Various sociological aspects of neighbour relations are discussed, including neighbour relations as an acquaintance relation, neighbour relations as the basis of a community, and the cultural content of the neighbour role. A model of levels of neighbourly interaction is presented.

Local Governance Structures and Their Role in Mobilising Community Action: A Case of Recreational Facilities in Mining Towns in the Copperbelt Province

“…Table 3 below shows that at least 61% of respondents had lived in their respective areas for over 10 years, a considerably long period to develop a sense of belonging. The study further explored the neighbourliness existing in the communities, a characteristic often expressed through mutual assistance and care (Hothi and Cordes, 2010;Ruonavaara, 2021). Figure 5 below shows the type of assistance provided to and obtained from neighbours.…”

Läsnäoloa, auttamista, pihanhoitoa ja asukastoimintaa - ikääntyvien asukkaiden kokemuksia naapuruston voimavarana toimimisesta

“…Toiseksi tutkimuksemme osoitti ikääntyvien voivan olla merkittävä avun ja tuen lähde naapureille, vaikka pitkäaikaiseen ja säännölliseen naapuriapuun ei välttämättä halutakaan sitoutua. Naapureille annettu tuki oli joissakin tapauksissa laajamittaista ja sisälsi jopa hoivaa, mikä on poikkeuksellista tavallisesti "ystävälliseen etäisyyteen" pohjautuvissa naapurisuh-teissa (Kouvo & Haverinen 2017;Ruonavaara 2021). Normatiivinen velvoite auttaa naapuria voi aineiston esimerkin tavoin laajentua velvoitteeksi toimia puuttuvana turvaverkkona ja ammattilaisen avun korvaajana, jolloin auttamisesta voi muodostua rasite ja taakka (naapuruuden taakasta, ks.…”

Community Neighboring Norms and the Prevalence and Management of Private Neighbor Problems

“…Neighbor relations are informal social ties that constitute part of everyday life for virtually all members of contemporary urban societies (Ruonavaara 2021). Ubiquitous and omnipresent, a neighbor can be an asset in an emergency, but problems between neighbors can quickly become a major issue if left unaddressed.…”