Table 2

Navigating the paradox of belonging vs boundary

Example issues arising in ORCsApproach to paradox navigationHow moderators/members can implement itPractical illustrationPotential outcomes
Affective dominance: Nostalgic “home stories” generate strong engagement and overshadow other contributionsTemporal separation (both/and)Recurring newcomer postsEvery Monday, moderators post “meet a new neighbor” where newcomers introduce themselves and long-time members are invited to respondNewcomers gain visibility and recognition, while long-timers keep their familiar storytelling practices
Resonance gap: Practical requests (e.g. groceries) receive no responses because they lack the group’s emotional toneIntegrative reframing (both/and)Blended questionsPosts combine emotional and practical tones, e.g. “what’s your favorite local tip, and what do you wish you knew when you first moved here?”Everyday advice becomes legitimate within the group’s symbolic repertoire, keeping emotional continuity while broadening participation
Member monopoly: Storytelling is concentrated among long-time members, limiting newcomers’ symbolic participationOscillating emphasis (both/and)Rotating storytelling rolesEach week, different members (newcomers and long-timers) post personal stories (rotation)Storytelling power is distributed more evenly, expanding symbolic participation beyond the core group
Legitimacy barrier: Newcomers’ contributions risk being perceived as off-topic or marginalBridging (both/and)Moderator linkagesModerators reframe posts (e.g., Emma’s grocery request) by linking them to local traditionsContributions that would otherwise seem peripheral are legitimized, encouraging broader participation
Algorithmic bias: Posts with little engagement are downgraded, reinforcing invisibilityStructural enabling (both/and)Algorithmic nudgesModerators temporarily pin newcomers’ posts to counter platform bias (invisibility)Newcomer posts remain visible long enough to attract engagement, reducing algorithm-driven exclusion
Source(s): Authors’ own work

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