Distinct definitions of community
Distinct scholars have identified different definitions of community. Ideally, academic definitions of community have taken into account various ideologies and schools of thinking. The majority of the time, communities have been defined as a collection of people who have a common interest (Cordner, 2014). But by presuming that a certain set of people constitutes a community, social workers frequently mislabel communities. A community is described by sociologists as a collection of people who have a common sense of identity, according to Mooney (2009). On the other hand, Tonnies (2001) contends that a rural area is the only place where a perfect community may be found. A community’s structure has evolved as a result of globalization and technological development. Development of urban centers and economic changes has eroded the historical biological boundary which gives sense to the community.
Characteristics of geographical communities
Geographical communities are characterized by the sharing of a physical space (Phillips & Pittman, 2014). In the context, the persons in that area of proximity should feel a sense of belonging and hold common values and symbols. Communities of interest are a type where a community chooses to associate with another community based on a common interest. Another community is virtually created where people communicate through the social media (Bottoms & Gutgold, 2016).
Challenges to the concept of community
Globalization and immigration have distorted the common values which give an identity of a community. The interaction of different people with different cultures prevents people from having a common core value and sense of belonging which has some original roots. Therefore, I agree with Ferdinand that an ideal community exists in a rural setup since people living in the rural areas share a common physical space. They share a common value and interest as industrializing has a minimal or no effect on the values of the people.
References
Bottoms, B.L., & Gutgold, N.D. (2016). Introduction. HONORS in Higher Education, 1(1).
Cordner, G. (2014). Community policing. The Oxford Handbook of Police and Policing, 148-171.
Mooney, L.A., Knox, D., & Schacht, C. (2009). Understanding social problems. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.
Phillips, R., & Pittman, R. (Eds.). (2014). An introduction to community development. Abingdon: Routledge.
Tönnies, F., & Harris, J. (2001). Community and civil society. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
