# Any social studies on neighbour relations in modern western societies?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-social-studies-on-neighbour-relations-in-modern-western-societies/821130>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 10, 2018, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-social-studies-on-neighbour-relations-in-modern-western-societies/821130 "2018-09-10T22:11:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Nansbread1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Nansbread1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nansbread1)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2018, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-social-studies-on-neighbour-relations-in-modern-western-societies/821130/1 "2018-09-10T22:11:20Z")

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Lots of studies in the animal kingdom on group dynamics in animal groups and colonies.

Anything on human societies especially housing complexes and neighbours in western first world societies?

Does familiarity between neighbours breed contempt? Which is better advice to follow? Keep your neighbours at a distance or try and be best friends forever? Are there any social science studies which can explain relationships between neighbours?

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**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2018, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-social-studies-on-neighbour-relations-in-modern-western-societies/821130/2 "2018-09-11T00:46:32Z")

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I googled “social interactions in public housing” and got a ton of studies. I suppose you could substitute “cities,” “suburbs,” or whatever type of community you want.

Forty years ago in college I studied [Jane Jacobs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Jacobs), who was something of a pioneer in that area. She might be a good place to start.

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**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2018, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-social-studies-on-neighbour-relations-in-modern-western-societies/821130/3 "2018-09-11T01:42:05Z")

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There are anthropological studies of modern Western societies. I’m currently reading _Watching the English_ by Kate Fox. It’s a careful study of how English society works, right down to individual interactions between people. It’s meant for a general audience, not just for anthropologists.