This document discusses different perspectives on the concept of community from various academic disciplines. It outlines perspectives from social science, which sees community as a group unified by common characteristics; from community-based studies, which view community as a setting, target, resource, or agent for interventions; and from ecology, which defines community as interacting species within a space. It also discusses classifications of community based on location, demographics, services, land use, jobs, and social dynamics. Finally, it outlines four types of community.

2. Digging Deeper into
Different Perspective
of Community

3. - The varying viewpoints come as a result of the
distinct perspectives of the different academic
disciplines and sectors.
- The need to appreciate why certain things were
seen and done differently when it comes to
community interventions.
- What people say and do depends mainly on their
perceptions.

4. Social Science Perspective
- congregation of people unified by at
least one common characteristics.
- Generally there is a common pattern
of behavior
- Socialization – embracing of
behavior pattern of a certain community

5. In 1887, German sociologist, Ferdinan
Tonnies noted two types of human
association:
1. Gemeinschaft – “community” – tighter
and more cohesive entity bought about
by “unity of will”
2. Gesellschaft – “society” / “association” –
group where individuals participate as
members driven solely by self-interest.

6. Community-Based Perspective
(As established in the studies
reviewed by Merzel and D’Afflitti
(2003))
- Community is seen as a setting for an
intervention, target for change,
resource, and agent.

7. Classifications:
• As a setting for an intervention
• As a target for change
• As a resource
• As an agent

8. Ecological Perspective
- Community is a congregation of species that
occur together in time and space and have high
probability of interaction.
Sectoral Perspective
- Individuals with diverse characteristics and
interrelationship.
Civil Society Perspective

9. CLASSIFICATION OF
COMMUNITY

10. A. Where is it located?
B. Who lives there?
C. How many people live in it?
D. What is the land used for?
E. What are the services?
F. What jobs do people have?
G. How do they treat each other?

12. Where is it?
R – Away from city with a lot of
open spaces and natural area.
U – City with not much open
spaces and natural areas.

13. Who lives there?
R- Majority are poor people coming form the
farming, fishing, and mining sectors who
(sometimes) failed finish college.
U – Many are educated, professionals, and
businessmen. However, there is also a lot of
urban poor and informal settlers come from
the labor sector.

14. How many people live in it?
R – Low density of human population
U – High density of human population
What are the services?
R – Poor infrastructures facilities for electricity,
water, transport, educational institutions, health
etc.
U – With the presence of infrastructure facility

15. What is the land used for?
R – Land is for agriculture and farming
U – Land is for buildings of government,
educational institutions, corporations, business;
infrastructure
What jobs do people have?
R – Farming, fishing…
U – Information technology, professional, corporate
works, informal street.

16. How do people treat each other? What
is their dynamics?
R – Sense of unity and belongingness.
Less social mobility and social
differentiation
U – People are a bit of indifferent with
each other. Distrust. Night life.

17. Local-Global
“Think globally, act locally”
Challenge: To be cognizant of social realities
and regard local culture in the advent of
globalization.
Physical Space-Virtual Social Space
Virtual Community
Physical Space

18. Four types of Community
1. Geographic Community – physical boundaries
2. Community of Identity – common identifiable
characteristics
3. Community of Interest or Solidarity – incorporates
social movements
4. Intentional Community – individuals that come
voluntarily