Factors Impacting Communities - Essay Example

Running Head: factors impacting communities Factors Impacting Communities Name Course Tutor Date Introduction Different people define community differently depending on the context of discussion. It, however, has a general meaning of a group of people who have certain things in common and have a sense of cohesiveness amongst themselves. A community is an important support system within a society. The sense of community is slowly disappearing and becoming less common due to the effect of technology and modernization. The modern human being is a busy one with tight schedules, families and homes where they have no time for communities. There are various aspects of communities that define them. Different communities are identifiable with different aspects (Taylor, Wilkinson, & Brian, 2008). There is some degree of uniqueness in every community that helps identify it with specific aspects. This essay will discuss in depth the essentials in a community and the aspects that determine its qualities and success as a community. Factors Impacting Communities It is crucial to have a good understanding of communities that we are part of. This way, participatory approaches to issues can be achieved more easily. Understanding a community involves getting to be familiar with the people and their activities. It also entails understanding their history and common issues that have led them to being regarded as a community. Before engaging in any community activity, it pays to take time and study the community before engaging in any efforts. To understand how communities work, it is important to understand what communities are in the first place. Traditionally, community has been used to define groups of people living in certain geographical locations. However, a community can be any group of people that share a common aspect. For instance, it may be in a neighborhood, a development project, an urban or rural area (Muirhead, 2002). A community may also mean a group in a large geographical area. Some of the aspects that define a community are religion, ethnicity, profession, culture or any other shared background or commonality. We may have a specific faith community, the African American community, business community, medical community or even the Australian community. In the study of communities, there is the issue of community of place. This has the component of locality, local society and community field. Wilkinson defines a community field as a whole unit that is unbounded and changes constantly by bringing people together to solve their common problems. It is with the presence of the community field that communities in different geographical locations are defined as communities. Within communities, there are several forms of power structures that exist within them. There is the pyramid structure where power is concentrated within one cohesive unit. Through networking, other groups are brought together. There is also the factional structure where networks are connected to two or more social fields. The networks have decision making powers on issues that affect them. In the coalition structure, power is decentralised and decision-making is dome across the whole community with no one major decision maker finally, thee is no power concentration of any sort in the amorphous network structures (AGGARWAL, 2012). In understanding how a community acts and works together, there are factors that define these issues within a community. In a local society, members are all local and have common interests in different fields. They do not have specific goals that they seek to achieve in the long term. Such local societies come together when there is need to solve certain specific problems. The community field identifies problems faced by the community and solves them accordingly. There is pooling of resources, energy and knowledge for a common course. The community field is one of the reasons that communities remain cohesive. In any community, there is a system of communication that is applicable to members (Chiu, Hsu, & Wang, 2006). Through this communication and interactions, members are able to air out issues and concerns of that community. In close communities such as friendships and families, the interaction is more a horizontal one. Communication with the outside world is vertical. It links the community with society when it is seeking information and skills to develop their agendas. The success of community activities is also dependent on the types of ties that are within it. If the ties are strong, it means that there is emotional intensity and commitment. When ties are weak, it may be as a result of new members joining the community or lack of a participatory approach to community activities. Another aspect that defines communities is narratives. These are tales or stories that are associated with a particular community (Sun, Fang, & Lim, 2012). Narratives tell the history of a community and the reason why it came to be established in the beginning. Through stories, communities are able to enhance their traditions, values, beliefs and attitudes. They are also able to distinguish and define communities. Common or major events that define the communities are passed through stories and can form characteristics of that community When seeking to understand a community it is important to study the context under which it is set or established. It is crucial to understand the setting that it exists in. the success of any community will depend on a number of significant factors. Some of these factors include culture, concerns, sociopolitical environment, economic factors and relationship among members. The physical aspects of a community define the specific location that the community can be found. This definition also encompasses communities that are defined by populations. The characters of communities are defined by how the members earn a living in that community (Smith, Nelischer, & Perkins, 2007). In this view, communities are impacted by several forces as they seek successful integration. Demographics in a community determine the constitution of people in a community. In terms of demographics, communities are affected by age, gender, marriages, education, languages and ethnicity. For a community to be successful, the demographics should be balanced and work toads their common goal. The history of a community tradition and norms associated with particular societies. History can be an effective way of solving disputes and creating cohesion through relating to historical events. Leadership in communities also affects their success. The leaders are community figures who are expected to guide communities to achieve their set objectives (Thompson & MacDonald, 2005). Communities are also based on formal and informal cultures. This aspect affects the interactivity and communication within the community. It is by this aspect that rule are made and adhered to. Cultures in communities are very crucial especially when people are seeking to change its. In most communities, there exist sub groups that form the lager community. These groups normally comprise of people with common interests. The success of a community as a whole will depend on the interaction and integration of thee smaller sub groups that make up the community. Communities do not work on their own (Somerville, 2011). They are part of the lager societies and therefore make use of support institutions that are relevant to their requirements. Such institutions include churches, schools, and hospitals, among other amenities. The economic factors in a community and in the country at large are very significant. The economy determines how people earn a living. The economy determines wealth endowment and distribution. The dynamics of communities are also affected by political environments. The system of governance and regulations will affect how a community operates. The stability in country will be replicated at the community level. Social structures revolve around how people with different personalities interact with each other and their perceptions towards fellow community members (Hampton & Heaven, 2013). Aboriginal communities in Australia In Australia, more than 60% of aboriginal populations are found in the eastern states. The Torres Strait Islanders community and other aboriginal communities comprise of 3% of the population in Australia. They are not natives of the country but they identify with the history that led them to settle in the country. This aboriginal community is mainly found in the eastern states of Australia contrary to the common notion. The physical location of this community is mainly New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and Northern territory. In the past, they used to live in out back but they have since moved to cities and integrated with indigenous communities. The community is regarded as a minority and has been left out in developmental plans. However, the community is growing in numbers and having more professionals and educated members working and living in cities. Some of their activities include fighting for their rights and seeking to be recognized as equal part of societies (Massey, Miller, & Saggers, 2011). These aboriginal communities have unique cultures and heritage that makes them stand out. Conclusion The dynamics and operation of communities are affected by many issues. These issues are both internal and external and they help in shaping up the activities of communities. Communities are of different types and it is the activities that they undertake that define them. They may be active or passive depending on the participatory levels in common interests. Integration of communities with society is crucial in determining its survival and success. Some of the major issues that affect communities are culture, history, social structures, economic and political situations. Other contributing factors include support institutions, leadership, demographics and infrastructure References AGGARWAL, P. (2012). Understanding the Community. Understanding the community , 67-76. Chiu, C.-M., Hsu, M.-H., & Wang, E. T. (2006). Understanding knowledge sharing in virtual communities: An integration of social capital and social cognitive theories. Decision Support Systems , 52 (3), 1872-1888. Hampton, C., & Heaven, C. (2013). The Community Tool Box. Retrieved September 4, 2013, from Understanding and Describing the Community: http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/sub_section_main_1020.aspx Massey, P. D., Miller, A., & Saggers, S. (2011). Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Health Policy , 103 (2), 184-190. Muirhead, T. (2002). Weaving Tapestries: a handbook for building communities. Perth: Local Government and Community Services Association. Smith, T., Nelischer, M., & Perkins, N. (2007). Quality of an urban community. 39 (3), 229–241. Somerville, P. (2011). Understanding Community: Politics, Policy and Practice. Bristol: The Policy Press. Sun, Y., Fang, Y., & Lim, K. H. (2012). Understanding sustained participation in transactional virtual communities. Decision Support Systems, , 53 (1), 12-22. Taylor, J., Wilkinson, D., & Brian, C. (2008). Working with Communities in Health andHuman Services. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Thompson, T. L., & MacDonald, C. J. (2005). Community building, emergent design and expecting the unexpected. The Internet and Higher Education , 8 (3), 233-249. Read More

The networks have decision making powers on issues that affect them. In the coalition structure, power is decentralised and decision-making is dome across the whole community with no one major decision maker finally, thee is no power concentration of any sort in the amorphous network structures (AGGARWAL, 2012). In understanding how a community acts and works together, there are factors that define these issues within a community. In a local society, members are all local and have common interests in different fields.

They do not have specific goals that they seek to achieve in the long term. Such local societies come together when there is need to solve certain specific problems. The community field identifies problems faced by the community and solves them accordingly. There is pooling of resources, energy and knowledge for a common course. The community field is one of the reasons that communities remain cohesive. In any community, there is a system of communication that is applicable to members (Chiu, Hsu, & Wang, 2006).

Through this communication and interactions, members are able to air out issues and concerns of that community. In close communities such as friendships and families, the interaction is more a horizontal one. Communication with the outside world is vertical. It links the community with society when it is seeking information and skills to develop their agendas. The success of community activities is also dependent on the types of ties that are within it. If the ties are strong, it means that there is emotional intensity and commitment.

When ties are weak, it may be as a result of new members joining the community or lack of a participatory approach to community activities. Another aspect that defines communities is narratives. These are tales or stories that are associated with a particular community (Sun, Fang, & Lim, 2012). Narratives tell the history of a community and the reason why it came to be established in the beginning. Through stories, communities are able to enhance their traditions, values, beliefs and attitudes.

They are also able to distinguish and define communities. Common or major events that define the communities are passed through stories and can form characteristics of that community When seeking to understand a community it is important to study the context under which it is set or established. It is crucial to understand the setting that it exists in. the success of any community will depend on a number of significant factors. Some of these factors include culture, concerns, sociopolitical environment, economic factors and relationship among members.

The physical aspects of a community define the specific location that the community can be found. This definition also encompasses communities that are defined by populations. The characters of communities are defined by how the members earn a living in that community (Smith, Nelischer, & Perkins, 2007). In this view, communities are impacted by several forces as they seek successful integration. Demographics in a community determine the constitution of people in a community. In terms of demographics, communities are affected by age, gender, marriages, education, languages and ethnicity.

For a community to be successful, the demographics should be balanced and work toads their common goal. The history of a community tradition and norms associated with particular societies. History can be an effective way of solving disputes and creating cohesion through relating to historical events. Leadership in communities also affects their success. The leaders are community figures who are expected to guide communities to achieve their set objectives (Thompson & MacDonald, 2005). Communities are also based on formal and informal cultures.

This aspect affects the interactivity and communication within the community. It is by this aspect that rule are made and adhered to. Cultures in communities are very crucial especially when people are seeking to change its.

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