2. Learning Competencies
Discuss community dynamics and its elements-community
power structure and community population composition.
Identify and explain factors resulting to community
dynamics
Determine the power structure of a community and explain
the key concepts of community power.
Discuss ways on how to identify community power actors.
Explain the importance of studying community dynamics in
relation to applied social sciences and learner’s future
career options.
3. What is Community Dynamics?
Community dynamics refer to
the changes that occur in the
community power structures and
community population
composition over time.
4. What is Community Dynamics?
Community power structures are hierarchical
interrelationships that govern the interaction of individuals among
each other within a localized group setting (Shively 1994a, Kuponiyi
2008). For example, in a village or a barangay, the community
power structures can be observed in the hierarchical
interrelationship between the barangay chairperson and his or her
constituents, between the elite and the financially poor members of
the community, or between the adult and young members of the
community. In such interrelationships, it is usually the barangay
chairperson, the elite, and the adult members of the community
who are considered dominant—such that they have power over their
aforementioned counterparts, the barangay constituents, the poor,
and the younger members of the community, respectively.
5. What is Community Dynamics?
But such hierarchical interrelationships can
change over time. The barangay constituents
may reject the leadership of their barangay
chairperson and install another one through
elections. The mass may revolt against the
elites or the elites may fall into poverty. The
youth may rebel against the adult members or
gain supremacy over them who eventually
grow into old age.
6. What is Community Dynamics?
COMMUNITY POPULATION COMPOSITION refers to
common demographic variables that describe
the size, distribution, and characteristics of
the population such as age structure, sex
composition, educational level, marital
status, economic status, employment status,
and ethnicity classification, to name a few.
Just like community power structures, the
composition of people in the community can
also change over time.
7. FACTORS RESULTING TO COMMUNITY
DYNAMICS
1. Community Power Structures
2. Community Population Composition
8. AUTHORITY
the kind of power that one has over another
by virtue of an elected position or an office
appointment that is based on codified laws
and regulations (USDA 2005; Weber 2015).
This is often referred to as a formal power
structure. Community power structures
change when the person in authority also
changes.
This happens in times of change in leadership
due to elections or revolutions, retirement or
resignation from service, or suspension or
removal from office, which requires the
person in authority to be replaced by another
person.
In such instances, the new person in authority
often proposes and enacts new ideas and new
policies that would alter community affairs
FACTORS AFFECTING
CHANGES IN
COMMUNITY POWER
STRUCTURE
9. INFLUENCE
the kind of power that a person possesses
over another by virtue of other people’s
positive perception of his or her competence
and ability (USDA 2005). This is often
referred to as an informal power structure.
The positive perception of people may come
from a combination of two or more bases of
influence such as above average income,
moderate to high level of education, mature
age, long term residence in the community,
control and access to needed material
resources, jobs, credit, and mass media.
Power actors can be anyone in the
community as long as they have the bases of
influence—thus, making changes in
community power structures more fluid
and more vibrant.
FACTORS AFFECTING
CHANGES IN
COMMUNITY POWER
STRUCTURE
10. Fertility - refers to the actual
reproductive performance (number of
child births) that can be expected of a
person, couple, group, or population
during a woman’s childbearing years,
normally defined as 15–49 years of age
(Population Reference Bureau 2015;
Statistics New Zealand 2015).
Fertility rates are subject to internal
and external determinants such as
social and legal preconditions of
marriage, use of birth control methods
(whether artificial or natural), level of
education, and level of economic and
social development, to name a few
(Bruijn 2006
FACTORS AFFECTING
CHANGES IN COMMUNITY
POPULATION
COMPOSITION
11. MORTALITY refers to “the demographic process
relating to deaths, often summarized by death rates,
survival rates, and life expectancy” (Statistics New
Zealand 2015b).
A decrease in death rates, an increase in survival rates,
and longer life expectancy contribute to lowering fertility
rates (United Nations 1982; Dyson 2010; Doepke 2005).
This is because a decrease in death rates and an increase
in survival rates which lead to longer life expectancy, are
indicators of healthy people in a community brought
about by an increased access in food and nutrition, public
health services, and social services (including education,
housing, and leisure and recreation that come along with
economic and social development).
When people in the community are healthy and survival
rates are high, there is no need to compensate for the
loss of children by producing more children. With
increased economic development, there is likewise no
need to depend on more children in the family for old age
security and insurance against different forms of
vulnerabilities.
FACTORS AFFECTING
CHANGES IN COMMUNITY
POPULATION
COMPOSITION
12. MIGRATION refers to the process of
moving from one place to another. It could also
be the movement across a specified boundary
for a considerable period of time and for
various reasons (personal, economic,
sociocultural, political, or environmental in
nature) in order to establish a temporary or
even permanent abode (INDEPTH Network 2015;
Sociology Guide 2016).
Migration can be internal, wherein the
movement of people is within the same
geographical area or region; or external,
wherein the movement of people is from a
national boundary to another.
FACTORS AFFECTING
CHANGES IN COMMUNITY
POPULATION
COMPOSITION
13. Whether migration is internal or external, it can
happen in gradual or sudden waves, which, in time,
has the capability to change the composition of
people in the host community and alter community
power structures.
For example, the ongoing insurgency in the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has
resulted to the gradual migration of many Filipino
Muslims to Manila and other non-ARMM cities in the
country in order to continue with their lives and do
business. This gradual migration, in turn, alters the
geopolitical, economic, and sociocultural landscapes
of the host or the receiving community.
For example, large Filipino immigrant communities
are found in Los Angeles County and San Diego
County in the United States alone, numbering to a
total of 416 000 in 2010 (United States Census
Bureau 2010). By sheer number, it can be
hypothesized that such significantly alters the
community power structures and composition of
people (i.e., ethnicity mix) in the aforementioned
areas.
FACTORS AFFECTING
CHANGES IN COMMUNITY
POPULATION
COMPOSITION
14. TYPES OF
COMMUNITY
POWER
STRUCTURE
Community Power Structures are hierarchical
interrelationships that govern the interaction
among individuals within a localized group
setting (Shively 1994a; Kuponiyi 2008).
Interacting individuals involved in community
power structures are called power actors.
They are key persons or groups who control
decision-making functions in community
affairs. However, the nature of relationships
among community power actors may vary
from one community to another and the
same is true in a single community as it
evolves over time. The varying
relationships among power actors have
led to the formulation of different types
of community power structures, namely:
(1) pluralist, (2) elitist, (3) factional, and
(4) amorphous (Shively 1994b, 93-94;
Weller and Weller 2002, 88-91).
15. PLURALIST
PLURALIST In this type of
community power structure, power
becomes an attribute of an individual
and it is widely distributed to the
members of the community, hence,
making every member roughly equal
in influence. Thus, in pluralism,
there are multiple centers of power.
Various members of a community
occupy positions of power that are
related to specific issues such as
health, education, and
environmental concerns, to name a
few.
16. PLURALIST
Pluralism serves as the hallmark of
participatory democracy where people
either (a) participate directly in
community affairs such as general
assemblies and community meetings or
(b) participate in electing officials to
represent the people’s will on their
behalf, especially in cases when
community membership becomes too
large. When pluralism takes the form of
electing representatives, decisions are
made by elected officials in positions of
formal power, thus, denying the
influence of an informal power
structure on community decisions
17. ELITIST
ELITIST–
In this type of community power
structure, power generally conforms to
the system of hierarchical
stratification and is associated with
those who possess corporate wealth
and/or prestige due to traditional or
religious authority.
In elitism, the power actors consist of
a tightly knit group whose members
could be the local aristocracy or those
who have control over the financial,
industrial, and commercial resources
of the community.
18. ELITIST
ELITIST–
The elites are mostly business
people who usually live in
executive villages and belong to
high society clubs.
Additionally, the elites rarely
involve themselves in elective
positions and are often not
interested in becoming visible
to the general public.
19. ELITIST
Those who belong to the local
aristocracy are often the clergy, a
political dynasty, a leader of a racial
group, or others who have held
power positions (such as the
military) that has spanned many
generations.
Both the elites who belong to the
business community or local
aristocracy often act in order to
protect their vested interests. Thus,
the elites could be considered the
informal power actors of a
community
20. ELITIST
Once a course of action is
agreed upon, it will be
supported by the rest of the
members of the community
and the decisions are
seldom challenged. Aside
from these, elitism has two
further subtypes: class-
based theory of power and
the growth machine..
21. Sub Types of
Elitism
CLASS BASED THEORY OF POWER
In this type, power belongs to those
who control the economic system of
the community, or is distributed to
those who are able to accumulate
capital.
Class-based theory of power somehow
resembles that of the elites, but the
difference lies in the ability of the
individual (or group) to generate
profit— thus making him or her (or
them) influential in community affairs.
This happens when those who have
economic resources determine job
generation, wages and salaries, access
to credit, investment options, and in
many cases, whom to support in
financing political campaigns.
22. Sub Types of
Elitism
THE GROWTH MACHINE
The Growth Machine. This is a
variation of class-based theory of
power where a coalition of groups
exists. They perceive community
growth as economic gain for
themselves. The groups can include
business developers, construction
companies, real estate firms and
agents, home insurance providers,
bankers, rental and commercial
property landlords, and the chamber
of commerce, who band together in
associations to influence community
economic affairs.
23. Sub Types of
Elitism
THE GROWTH MACHINE
They are eager to attract industry or
foreign investments in order to
create jobs, stir the local economy
through consumption and residential
construction, and in the process,
increase property values so as to
generate more profits for
themselves. While their public
advocacy is job generation, their
real goal is profit generation for
their own advantage
24. FACTIONAL
FACTIONAL In
this type of community
power structure, power
resides in numerous
interest groups that hold
relatively equal power,
but they are struggling to
control or dominate
influence in community
affairs.
25. FACTIONAL
In factional communities, there is much
political group in-fighting when it comes to
community issues, which often result to
arguments and heated debates. Such
interests groups are focused more on
ousting one another rather than resolving
community issues. They will be able to
oust their opponents once they are already
holding the majority of the formal
structures of power.
Once in position, they are mostly
interested in protecting and aligning
community policies with their respective
economic, religious, ethnic, racial, or
political ideologies
26. AMORPHOUS
AMORPHOUS This refers to a seeming
absence of an identifiable power structure
in some communities.
Although power actors exist, they are
often satisfied with the status quo such
that they are called “sleeping giants.”
In amorphous communities, people do not
see the necessity for change and they lack
initiative and direction. In this setup, it is
also difficult to distinguish between
people with formal authority and people
with informal influence.
However, dormant power actors can
become active when the community is
agitated enough or rallied to a cause.
27. The types of community power structures mentioned are ideal
types—meaning each one does not exist in its purest form in any
community, but a combination of two or more could emerge.
However, it is possible to have one type dominant over the other,
which characterizes the overall power structure of a certain
community. It is essential to understand the dominant type of
power structure in a community so that it could be identified
who among the community members have the authority to make
decisions, who controls community resources, and who are
excluded in the decision-making processes.
With this, one can develop more inclusive and effective
community interventions in building community power from both
within and outside the community
28. IDENTIFYING COMMUNITY POWER
ACTORS
Power Actors are key persons or groups who control decision-
making functions in community affairs. They are aware of their
position in the community. Some will even work hard to keep
their positions of power, whether in the formal or informal power
structure setting.
Since power actors derive their power either through authority or
influence, it is important to identify them so that the dominant
type of power structure in a certain community can be
understood. Tait, Bokemeier, and Bohlen (1982) have identified
four methods to identify community power actors: (1) positional,
(2) reputational, (3) decision-making, and (4) social participation.
29. POSITIONAL METHOD
This involves making and updating a list of power actors in
positions of authority in the local government and in leading
economic, cultural, religious, and voluntary organizations.
This procedure mainly focuses on selecting power actors based
on the important positions they occupied in formal organizations.
It is assumed that because power actors have held such
important positions, they have actually exercised their decision-
making capacities, and thus possess the power to influence
community decisions.
However, the positional method fails to identify power actors
who operate in the shadows and behind the scene, and those
whose power is exercised based on influence. Another weakness
of this method is based on the fact that some power actors do
not actually exercise the power vested in their office to affect
community
30. REPUTATIONAL METHOD
This involves the selection of many knowledgeable
community citizens who can provide a list of power
actors. The identified power actors would then be
ranked according to their reputation in influencing
community affairs. The knowledgeable community
citizens could be ministers, chamber of commerce
executives, extension staff, city managers, utility
managers or personnel, media executives, newspaper
editors, economic developers, business executives, and
union leaders, among others. The procedure mainly
includes interviewing knowledgeable community
citizens. It is assumed that the knowledgeable
community citizens know and can subjectively measure
the amount of influence the power actors have.
31. DECISION MAKING METHOD
This involves tracing the history of a collective decision concerning at
least one issue area. Sources of information for a collective decision
include minutes of the meeting, committee reports, newspaper
accounts, and participant interviews. The procedure mainly includes
conducting a document review of community initiatives and
interviewing knowledgeable community citizens in order to flesh out
and identify power actors who have been responsible in making
decisions that are highly relevant to community development. (This
may include the establishment of cooperatives or microenterprises,
disaster mitigation and adaptation, improvement of public school
facilities, conducting community health programs, etc.) An analysis of
power actors’ involvement in important community activities should
start from project initiation to completion so that major decision-
makers can be determined at each stage of the community project.
32. SOCIAL PARTICIPATION METHOD
This involves developing a list of leaders and active participants
in committee works in key community voluntary associations.
The criteria for selecting key community voluntary associations
include the extent to which such associations are attuned in
addressing community concerns, their resource base, and their
relevance to a certain community decision being studied.
The procedure mainly involves determining who among the
members of the community have the highest degree of social
participation in voluntary associations. A set of criteria can be
developed to determine the degree of social participation by
assigning a scoring system.
For example, chairpersonship of an organizing committee is
equivalent to 10 points; membership of an organizing committee
is 5 points, being an officer of a voluntary association is 15
points; and membership of a voluntary association is 3 points.
