At its most broad, we think of local knowledge as everything there is to know about a local community. It can include any kind of information that residents consider worthwhile to share with fellow residents and with the wider world.
Instead of trying to come up with a definition, here are some things that we think of when we think of local knowledge:
- Community-determined: ultimately it's up to people in a particular community to determine what's in bounds and what's out of bounds.
- We're pretty much inclusionists: LocalWiki is big enough for everyone. As long as it's not hurtful or abusive, we encourage unexpected and novel content. You never know what will be important and relevant.
- Colloquial and informal knowledge is okay: the things people know about their community go beyond "just the facts" to include community perceptions, mythologies, dreams and visions of the future of the community, controversies and rifts, and more. LocalWiki is big enough for all of these.
- How-to's and advice are okay: How to get social services, where to find free computer access, tips for avoiding getting your bike stolen, streets to avoid during rush hour, etc.
- Community proposals and planning pages are okay: You never know, other people can help improve your proposal and end up passing it!
- Competing and diverse perspectives are okay: There's no need to agree on a single story. Multiple perspectives on a topic are welcome.
See also
