COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES NOTES
Based on Schriver (1995). Human Behavior and Social Environment. Allyn and Bacon: Boston MA. and SLK Lecture Notes
A. Community as a place: Observe the geographical patterns and physical characteristics of the area.
B. Community as Functions (Five types of activities)
1. Local participation in production-distribution-consumption of necessary goods and services by industry, business, professions, religious organizations, schools or government agencies.
2. Socialization or transmission of knowledge, social values, and behavior patterns to members by families, schools, religious organizations, and other units.
3. Social control to influence members’ behaviors to conform to community norms through laws, the courts, police, family, schools, religious organizations, and social agencies.
4. Social participation in activities with other members through religious organizations, family and kinship groups, friendship groups, business, government programs, and social agencies.
5. Mutual support for community members in times of need through care for the sick, exchange of labor to help members in economic distress, and assistance for other needs by primary groups, friendship groups, local religious groups, social service agencies, insurance companies, and other support units. (Warren 2978:10-11 in Schriver, 1995:452)
C. Community as Middle Ground, Mediator or Link: Observe the primary and secondary
relationships; institutions and organizations where people are able to meet (Structures and processes)
D. Community as a Social System: Identifying subsystems interrelating in the community; how community relates with its bigger environment; relation of macro conditions to local community conditions;
1. Of what units (subsystems) is the community as a social system formed?
2. To what extent can the community as a social system be distinguished from its surrounding environment? What are a community’s boundaries? [Determine who belongs to that community and who does not belong.]
3. What is the nature of the structured interaction of units (subsystems) in the community as a social system?
4. What are the tasks that the community performs as a social system? [community functions]
5. By what means is the structured relationship among the interacting units of a community maintained? (How are the parts of the system held together or integrated?- identifying important institutions such as political and government systems; a local press; community councils, councils of religious organizations; individual religious organizations; schools; recreational associations; families; groupings by social class; social networks, etc)
6. Can an external and an internal pattern of activities be differentiated in the community?
7. What is the relation (linkage) of community social-system units to other systems? [intra (horizontal patterns) and inter (vertical patterns)community linkages]
E. Non-place Communities: communities of the mind; communities of interest; “identificational communities”- ex. profession
F. Community as Social Networks: [patterns of resource exchange, emotional, physical, psychological and material support]
G. Qualitative Aspects of Community
1. Capacity – recognition of the fullness of each member because it is the sum of their capacities that represent the power of the group.
2. Collective Effort – patterns of working together
3. Informality – service oriented relationships; transactions of value take peace without money, advertising or hype.
4. Stories – knowledge created by common history and individual experiences
5. Celebration – “laughter and singing” of the community; patterns of solidarity
6. Tragedy – shared explicit common knowledge of tragedy, death and suffering [paraphrased, McKnight, 1987:57-58 in Schriver, 1995:462]
The Good Community
1. Primary group relationships
2. Autonomy
3. Viability
4. Power distribution
5. Participation
6. Degree of Commitment
7. Degree of heterogeneity
8. Extent of neighborhood control
9. Extent of conflict
Other points for observation: awareness and application of sustainable and eco-friendly practices; gender sensitive practices; participatory and democratic practices; culture-sensitive practices (Application of the Kalinangang Bayan vs. Kultura ng Bansa (promoted by the elite). See Zeus Salazar, Clemen Aquino, and Prospero Covar; Filipino Values and patterns of “pakikipagkapwa”. See Virgilio Enriquez. Patterns of Kulturang Popular (See Rolando Tolentino).
