Scott Ewing

Neighbourhood renewal and government by community: The Atherton Gardens network

This article reviews the expectations associated with wired community schemes – efforts to bridge the digital divide and promote social cohesion within neighbourhood renewal programmes. Such initiatives exemplify the strengths and limits of neo‐liberal modes of government through community. They use community consultation and participation within a managerial technology that persuades people to be self‐governing and adapt their aspirations, interests and conduct to accord with the ends of government – in this case, to accord with the aims of neighbourhood renewal programmes. Yet are wired community initiatives best assessed in terms of their capacity to promote community participation and social cohesion? These questions are explored through a central case study: the Reach for the Clouds project based in Atherton Gardens, a high‐rise public housing estate in Melbourne, Australia. Initial research suggests that the educational implications of the project will be more significant than its capacity to build community.