ABSTRACT
In the academic literature, island societies are frequently presented as friendly and easy-going environments in which citizens live together in harmony. Building on the existing academic literature as well as the experience of small islands around the world, this chapter discusses and outlines some of the core social characteristics of small, often island communities. It discusses four central themes which play a role in island societies around the world: monopoly, intimacy, totality and emigration (MITE syndrome). Island communities can, in some situations, experience higher prices because of a lack of competition arising from classic local monopoly conditions. In addition to power concentration, monopoly also entails that those who are not part of the elite are effectively powerless, able only to oppose. A second feature of island societies is intimacy, which refers to a social environment characterised by pervasive personal connections and overlapping role relationships.
