“Who do they think they are?”: social identity & conflict in small rural community

ABSTRACT Building resilience in small communities has increasingly become an aspirational objective to help adapt to challenging economic and social change. Communities with identified resilience traits are seen to be better equipped to survive and thrive in adversity. Resilience relies on embracing change and social cohesion. However, the divide between social groups of “insiders” and “outsiders” in small communities can divide and suppress resident contributions and participation. This qualitative research in two small South Queensland, Australian towns, population under 2000, interviewed 89 residents using social identity theory and discourse analysis to analyse data. It found social identity phenomena-motivated antisocial behaviours including withheld support, exclusion, derision, criticism, shame/blame gossip, and attack, directly and indirectly. In the research communities, witnessing or experiencing social hostility created hesitation to lead, speak, participate, or innovate without social support, and led to withdrawal, burnout, and departure.