Emotion, gender and the sustainability of communities

Emotional expressions is the lifeblood of any organisation or community. However, it has been a relatively neglected dimension of organisational and management theory and community research until the last few years. This paper reviews recent approaches, research issues and trends in emotion research and then applies insights from this body of research to the area of community sustainability. A particular focus is the gendered nature of emotion and how emotion facilities connections within communities. Utilising examples from my case study research in a woman’s community organisation in Melbourne, Australia, it contrasts the barren emotional landscape of many organisations with the vibrance and warmth of a feminist community organisation, and considers how information and communication technologies (ICTs) can serve to either facilitator or to constrain this emotional expression. It draws implications on the vital role of emotion in sustaining communities.