Civil society organisations and community bonds in post-pandemic small-scale localities: balancing cohesion and fragmentation

This study examines Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in post-pandemic small-scale localities through focus groups with representatives from 15 organisations inPeccioli, Italy, a village of 4,700 inhabitants recognised for its innovative gover-nance. We investigate how aggregative and conflictual community dynamics shapethe associative landscape. Findings reveal that CSOs envision the ideal commu-nity as cohesive yet inclusive, emphasising both internal belonging and externalopenness rather than insularity. CSOs recognise their collective role as essentialcommunity architects, maintaining social fabric through bridging activities acrossorganisational boundaries. Conversely, significant challenges emerged: pronouncedcentralisation of leadership around individual figures, territorial parochialism be-tween hamlets, entrenched political divisions, and integration difficulties for new-comers. The pandemic intensified these tensions while simultaneously highlightingthe vital function of CSOs. Small-scale proximity creates ambivalent dynamics,intensifying both conflict and face-to-face cooperation. Among the principal con-cerns raised by participants is the prevalence of self-centred actions by CSOs andthe assertive role of individual leaders in organisational management.