The study of how communities change and diversify over time through processes analogous to biological evolution: variation in practices, inheritance of successful norms, and selection pressures from the environment (both physical and social). It posits that communities are not static, but are subject to evolutionary forces where external challenges (resource scarcity, conflict) and internal innovation lead to the "descent with modification" of social structures, with some community forms thriving and others going extinct.
Community Evolution Theory Example: The Amish communities in North America exhibit Community Evolution. Faced with the selection pressure of modern technology, variations emerged: some groups strictly prohibit the grid ("Old Order"), others allow limited tech for business ("New Order"). These "speciated" community types inherit and modify core traditions, showing evolutionary adaptation to a changing cultural environment.
by Dumuabzu February 5, 2026
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