Re: Shadowlake Village Resident research project
From: Martin Sheehy (martinsheehyyahoo.com)
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2006 15:49:35 -0800 (PST)
Go for it, Lisa.
   
  I have a certain discomfort level at ' someone ' who is " appointed " ' 
research coordinator '. Sort of like ' appointed ' Presidents of Republics, or 
Lorenzo De Medici, The Great. Smells of Machievelli.
   
  Are there studies which should NOT be done?. Who decides? As a 
physician-executive, I am aware of MANY studies not done ( because it is ' felt 
' that the conslusion might run adverse to certain parties), or, done, and when 
the conclusions seem to point to a route of action unpalatable to some, to a 
few, the results are tidily LOST.
   
  Go for it, Lisa, remembering that MDs & PhDs are just that, fellow-cohousers 
with a few meaningless letters & degrees after their names, but not conferring 
upon them any ' co-ordinator ' privileges.
   
  Marty.
   
  Marty.

Lisa Poley <lpoley [at] vt.edu> wrote:
  I am a resident and founding member of Shadowlake Village Cohousing in
Blacksburg, Virginia and also a PhD student at Virginia Tech. I have been
one of the silent 'lurkers' on the CL for many years now and have
tremendously appreciated the discussions here. I am finally coming 'out of
the shadows' to ask for some help from those of you who are willing .. 

Naturally - my PhD dissertation involves Cohousing: My study investigates
issues of trust, social cohesion and civic engagement in the Cohousing
context, particularly as compared to national levels and those of people
interested in Cohousing but not yet living there. My main interest in
pursing this topic as a scholar is to contribute to bringing cohousing more
prominently into academic and policy debates about housing options,
community development, democracy and social change. As a cohouser I am also
committed to sharing my results with the broader cohousing community (or at
least with those who are interested.) I also think it is appropriate for
actual coho residents to be involved in the formal study of cohousing -
rather than always being the research specimens of those entirely outside of
the experience. We of course have to be very careful to keep ourselves
honest as scholars- but we may bring a level of insight that would be very
difficult to achieve by someone who has not directly experienced coho life. 

Now - where you (may) come in.
In the first part of my study I hope to administer a short, internet-based
survey to as many respondents as I can muster from two cohousing
populations: a) residents of completed communities and b) members of forming
cohousing groups who have not yet purchased their land. The survey itself
will begin accepting responses on May 1st and takes about 10 minutes to
complete on-line through my website (it can also be made available in paper
form if requested). The survey is based very closely on one developed at
Harvard University (in conjunction with Robert Putnam of "Bowling Alone"
fame) to indicate levels of trust, social capital and civic engagement among
respondents. I have started to contact communities about participation in
this survey and have had some good responses (and thoughtful feedback) so
far - but I still have many miles to walk before I sleep. What I very much
need are people who may be willing to forward information about this survey
to other members of their community or to their forming group. 
(The second part of my study will involve in-depth research in a handful of
communities to look at these same issues in a much more qualitative and
participatory way.) 

To anyone willing to be a point of contact - I will forward you an email
with a link to the survey (which opens for response on May 1st and remains
open until May 22nd) which can in turn be forwarded on to your neighbors. I
can also send you some flyers and handouts with the URL that could be placed
on a community bulletin board or mailroom (if you are willing to give me a
mailing address). I would have no expectation for you to pressure anyone in
your community to complete the survey. Participation must be entirely
voluntary.

I know that many cohousers already feel studied to death and would just
like to be left in peace to live their lives thank you, without being
constantly poked and prodded by pesky researchers. This I can certainly
understand, and can only make a plea for your generosity and forbearance.
(One community member I contacted suggested that I offer to put all
responding communities into a raffle and offer to come cook a delicious
gourmet-organic-vegetarian common-meal for the winner. I am now beginning to
seriously contemplate this suggestion if only that will make a difference!)

If you are willing to act as a contact person for your community or forming
group on this survey please email me directly at lpoley [at] vt.edu or by phone
at 540-951-7717. You can also access the website where the survey will
eventually be made available at www.shadowlakevillage.org/cohosurvey. There
is some more information on the study there.
(If you have already responded to me - please ignore this request.)

Thanks so much - and I look forward to hearing from folks out there in coho
land. 
Best regards -

Lisa Poley 
(PhD in training)
Shadowlake Village Cohousing
Blacksburg, Virginia.

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