What is a community? Explain its characteristics & elements
Man cannot live in isolation. He cannot live alone. They keeps contact with his fellow beings for their survival. A man establishes contact with a few people who live in close proximity or presence to him in a particular area or locality. They develop common ideas, common customs, common feelings, common traditions etc. They also develop a sense of belongingness together or a sense of we-feeling. This kind of common social living in a specific locality gives rise to the community.
The word “community” comes from the Latin words “com” and “munis.” In English ‘com’ means together and ‘Munis’ means to serve. Thus, community means to serve together. People organize a community to serve together.
According to sociologists, “whenever the members of any group, small, or large, live together in such a way that they share the basic conditions of a common life, we call that group a community.” Thus, a community refers to a group of individuals living in a geographical area. They share the same physical environment and the basic conditions of common living. A neighbourhood or a village are good examples of a community.
Man cannot live alone in an isolation. He keeps contract with his fellow mates but he cannot Keep in contact with all people or belong to all group that are existing in the world at the same time.
People in some Locality for a longer period of time develops – likeness or similarities Common ideas common feelings, common customs, traditions etc which gives rise to community.
Community is derived from the Latin words “com” and “munis,” meaning to serve together.
Definitions of Community
Boyardus: – Community is a social group with some degree “we feeling” and living in a given area.
Tonnies: A Community is one in which human relationships are intimate & durable.
MacIver: – An area of social lining, marked by some degree of social cohesive
Community is people living within a geographical area in common – Inter Dependence.
It exists bound in territorial units.
Characteristics of a Community
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Community refers to aggregate of individuals.
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Community associated with locality.
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The members of community have strong community sentiments or a sense of belongingness or we feeling.
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Community formation is spontaneous, occurring over time.
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This makes it more enduring than groups formed with a specific purpose.
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Community serves wider ends.
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A community is usually associated with a specific name.
Key Elements That Define a Community
According to MacIver and Page: – They said that there are two main elements or bases on which a community is formed. They are as follows:-
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Locality: A particular territorial area. By living together people develop social contacts, give protection, safety & Security. He says that due to the extending facilities of communication in the modern world and the territorial bond has been broken, yet the basic character of locality as social classifies has never been transcended”.
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Community Sentiments – me feeling – interdependence, Participation and community control.
Other elements
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Group of people
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Naturality- not purposively created.
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Permanence – not temporary members are it continues as long as members are they.
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Likeness: – similarity in language, custom, traditions etc.
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A Particular name: – life based on language, territory in India as caste
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Spontaneity: – not purposively but grows naturally as it binds the individuals together.
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Common Life: -Their life style is almost the same for e.g. eating pattern, dressing style, Language etc. Due to their inhabitation on a particular geographical area, they develop a kind of emotional & cultural conformity.
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Common interest.
Types of community
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Folic - Small, -
Tribal: based upon kinship, same language and different tradition and belief -
Rural:- Joint family, small population, community consciousness and simplicity -
Urban Community :- large population, use of machinery, less community consciousness and nuclear family.