Concepts of community report

Table of contents
Page 4 Introduction, What is community? And What are the concepts that ‘inform’ our understanding and definitions of community? Where do these concepts come from?

Page 5 What kinds of organisations make up community? What is a community stakeholder? And how do organisations and stakeholders relate/interact through community? What forms do they take at different scales, local to global?

Page 6 Conclusion

1. Why concepts of community are of interest
Concepts of community are of interest as one can understand how/where their own understanding of community came about. Due to the significant arguable definition of community it is interesting to recognise that each individual through their own macro and micro experience and socialisation have a differing understanding of the concept of community.
2. What is community?
Community is an extremely broad concept, hence its arguable definition. Due to its broad nature and different understandings of it, there is no one definition of community. Community is something that is understood according to one’s own personal experiences in regards to their society and involvement in their macro and micro worlds. In Day (2006, p.1) Abercrombie defines community as, ‘’one of the most elusive and vague (concepts) in society and is by now largely without specific meaning’’. Day (2006, p. 1) describing community as, ‘’elastic and various in its meanings’’. Gillette (1926, p. 677) adds that community is largely perceived as ‘some sort of collective situation in relatively small localities.’
3. What are the concepts that ‘inform’ our understanding and definitions of community? Where do these concepts come from?
Concepts that inform ones’ understanding of community are largely derived from concepts established by social theorists. Emile Durkheim suggests that people were united due to likeness. This was a form of ‘mechanical’ solidarity (Day 2006, p. 1). Durkheim suggested that despite peoples differences they were complementary, giving them ‘organic unity’ (Day 2006, p.3). Durkheim believed ‘both types of solidarity could be seen as giving rise to forms of community, centred respectively on similarity or interdependence’ (Day 2006, p.3). What he meant by this was that the interdependence between people helps to establish communities. Similarly, Max Weber strongly believed, community was achieved through people not being solely concerned for themselves, but being more concerned for the collective (Day 2006, p.4).
Just as socialisation influences ones’ gender perceptions, it influences ones’ understanding of community (Henslin, Possamai, Possamai-inesedy et al. 2011, p. 59, 63-65). For instance, if someone is raised in the city, they are likely to be deprived of a genuine involvement in their neighbourhood and may not even know their neighbour’s name. However, one raised in a suburban area may experience a more genuine sense of community through involvement in organisations such as the local youth group; hence enhancing ones’ understanding of the concept of community – whence age is the reason for socialisation (Henslin, Possamai, Possamai-inesedy et al. 2011). This exemplifies what Tonnies identifies and compares as ‘Gemeinschaft’ or ‘intimate community’ ‘and ‘Gesellschaft’, or ‘impersonal association’. (Henslin, Possamai, Possamai-inesedy et al. 2011, 85).
4. What kinds of organisations ‘make up’ community?
Organisations which make up a community include local people and places in which community spirit exists. This means where people have something in common come together due to this common goal or interest. Friedman (1993) refers to communities being made up due to geographical location, similar interests/hobbies, people whom share similar experiences, shared beliefs, and shared age. Organisations involved in the makeup of a community include religious groups such as the Catholic Church – a community developed on the basis of shared beliefs.
5. What is a community ‘stakeholder’?
A community stake holder is an individual or group who is concerned and interested in something relating to a community. In Press (2003, p. 61) the stakeholders involved in the community project included, ‘council planners, landscape designers, community development staff, local police, neighbouring residents and local residents’.
6. How do organisations and stakeholders relate/interact through community?
What forms do they take at different scales, local to global?
Organisations and stakeholders can relate and interact with communities on a local to global scale through a variation of mediums. On a local level stakeholders often include the use of primary research - surveys, interviews and focus groups to interact with communities. On a global scale the most influential way in which interaction occurs is through mass media.
Press (2004, p. 59) deals with a local initiative for ‘’redesigning public places in Victoria’’. The interaction process involved the primary research methods mentioned above. This is seen in complaints to the council, which led to the council carrying out surveys in order to establish the needs and wants of the community (Press 2004). An email was also sent to invite all reserve users to participate in the ‘Design-In’, hence, the use of technology as a form of interaction (Press 2004). Focus groups ‘were formed so that those involved in the community shared their opinions in regards to the project (Press 2004).The outcomes were followed up via written and telephone surveys conducted by the local council (Press 2004). Thus, employment of these primary research methods were clearly demonstrated in terms of stakeholders successfully interacting with the local St Kilda community initiative.
On a global scale, the influential nature of media has been clearly demonstrated in the KONY2012 campaign. The success of this interaction was heavily influenced by the social networking site - Facebook. People repeatedly shared the video online to gain the United Nations attention and reach some sort of solution. In less than one day, the dictatorship of Joseph Kony in Uganda was revealed to the world through a YouTube video. The video reached one hundred million views within the first 24 hours which it was uploaded. (I Knowd [University of Western Sydney] 2009, 101900 lecture, 12 March). This is an excellent example of how stakeholders interacted on a global scale with the virtual community. Similarly, Mistral (2008, p. 11) displays the use of media advocacy to lower the effect of alcohol issues in urban areas in the United Kingdom. This form of interaction has proved to be very effective in terms of promoting health and thus decreasing alcohol intake in urban areas.
Conclusion
Community is a broad concept which is influenced by many aspects such as the influence of theorists and socialisation. The concept of Community is interpreted differently for all peoples. Through the examples shown, stakeholders therefore relate and interact with different communities through different methods which are deemed an appropriate means of interaction.

Reference list:
Day, G 2006, 'The idea of community', in Community and everyday life, Routledge, New York, pp. 1-4.

Emily Friedman, EF, 1993, ‘Concepts of Community’. The healthcare forum journal, Vol. 36, Section 3, 2-3, pp. 2-3.

Gillette, JMG, 1926, ‘Community Concepts’, Social forces, vol. 4 issue 4, 677.

Henslin, JM, Possamai, A & Possamai-Inesedy, A 2011, 'Social structure and social interaction', in Sociology: a down-to-earth approach, 1st adaptation ed, Pearson Australia, Frenchs Forest, NSW, pp.59, 63-65, 85.

Mistral, WM, 2008. Partnership working in community alcohol prevention programmes. Drugs: education, prevention and policy, Vol. 15, Section 1, 11.

Press, M 2003, 'Communities for everyone: redesigning contested public places in Victoria', in W Weeks, L Hoatson & J Dixon (eds), Community Practices in Australia, Peason Australia, Frenchs Forest, pp. 59,60,61, 63.

Warning: Not having an online community is costing you money, Australia 2012, image, Social Business news, 10 April, viewed 25 March 2013, http://www.socialbusinessnews.com/warning-not-having-an-online-community-is-costing-you-money/