Formation and sustaining of neo-tribes

The neo-tribe theory offers profound insights to understand the individuals coming together around certain common interests and similar lifestyles in fluid groupings. Opposed to their ephemeral and fluid nature, space and community events perform as two anchorings where members perform tribe rituals to foster a sense of belonging in the formation and sustaining processes of tribes. Even though there are various studies investigating the physical and virtual spaces and rituals/events of neo-tribes, the changing role of these spatial and temporal anchorings in the processes of formation and sustaining of neo-tribes remains relatively obscure and unexplored. In this regard, as a contribution to neo-tribe literature, this chapter aims to explore how the interplay between permanent, temporal or virtual spaces and regular and irregular events improve the fluid character of tribes to keep them active from the formation to the sustaining processes of these communities. Methodologically, this study is conducted by a comparative descriptive case study between a cycling community and a gardening community in Turkey, which provides some common tendencies in producing their spaces and events in the formation and sustaining processes of their tribes. The outcome of the chapter points out that anchoring in time and space is a requirement for a tribe in the formation of the belongingness of members and then, in the sustaining process of tribes, diversifying of these events and spaces keeps the fluidity and improves their continuity of the tribe over time. The findings of the chapter also offer practical implications for community leaders and event industry practitioners to understand, formulate and sustain the tribe communities and spatial disciplines to develop strategies for community place-making.