Community Engagement, Solidarity and Citizenship - Module 1

This set covers definitions related to community dynamics, types of communities, social science perspectives, institutional functions, and community action initiatives as presented in the Module 1 transcript.

Community

A social unit or group of people who share something in common, such as shared attributes, connections, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity.

Old French 'comuneté'

The source of the English word 'community', which derives from the Latin 'communitas' meaning community or public spirit.

Formal Group

A group formed when people come together to accomplish specific goals and objectives.

Informal Group

A group formed when two or more people come together to accomplish a specific task which is mainly socially geared.

Urban Area

The region surrounding a city characterized by a high density of population.

Rural Area

An open swath of land that has few homes or other buildings and very low population density.

Global Community

The people or nations of the world considered as being closely connected by modern telecommunications and economically, socially, and politically interdependent.

Sectoral

Relating to the various economic sectors of a society or to a particular economic sector.

Social Space

A physical or virtual space, such as a social center or online social media, where people gather and interact.

Community of Interest

A type of community where people share the same passion or interest; it is noted as the hardest type to develop.

Community of Action

A community composed of people trying to bring about change.

Community of Place

A community where people are brought together by geographic boundaries.

Community of Practice

A community of people in the same profession or who undertake the same activities.

Community of Circumstance

A community of people brought together by external events or situations.

Community Dynamics

The process of change and development in communities of all living organisms, including plants, microorganisms, and creatures of every sort.

Community Action

Any activity that increases understanding, engagement, and empowerment of communities in the design and delivery of local services, putting communities at the heart of service delivery.

Applied Social Sciences

Social science disciplines, professions, and occupations that use basic social science research and theory to improve the daily life of communities, organizations, and persons.

Advice Worker

A social science career providing guidance on topics like housing, employment, welfare, education, finance, and law.

Civil Service Career

A role that delivers public services according to government policies across a large number of different departments.

Community Development Worker

A professional working in communities and liaising with different agencies to bring about change and improvements, often targeting specific groups like the unemployed or homeless.

Equality and Diversity Officer

A role focused on promoting diversity and ensuring people are not discriminated against for race, gender, age, or disability.

Intelligence Analyst

A career involving the assessment of data largely for the purposes of security and crime prevention.

Mediator

A person who works with people to help them solve conflicts and disagreements.

Social Researcher

A professional who manages research projects, including data collection and analysis, for universities or market research organizations.

Social Science

The branch of science devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies.

Sociology

The study of human social life using systematic methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop knowledge about human social structures.

Anthropology

The study of what makes us human, taking a broad, holistic approach to investigate the human experience, including the past through archaeology.

Politics

The set of activities associated with making decisions in groups or other forms of power relations between individuals, such as resource distribution.

Institution

A society, organization, or corporation, especially of a public character, founded for religious, educational, social, or similar purposes.

Family Institution

The social institution responsible for reproduction to replace members, providing protection, and socializing the young.

Economic Institution

The social institution that produces and distributes goods and services.

Education Institution

The social institution serving as a way to pass on culture, knowledge, and values.

Religion Institution

The social institution that helps people find purpose, develops the spiritual side, and provides guidelines for behavior and social interaction.

Civil Society

The space for collective action around shared interests and values, generally distinct from government and commercial for-profit actors.

NGO (Non-Governmental Organization)

A non-profit, voluntary citizens' group organized on a local, national, or international level that is task-oriented and independent of government.

Operational NGOs

A type of NGO that focuses specifically on development projects.

Advocacy NGOs

A type of NGO organized to promote particular causes.

Social Movement

A loosely organized effort by a large group of people to achieve a particular social or political goal.

Interest Group

An association of individuals or organizations that attempts to influence public policy in its favor based on shared concerns.

Lobbying

The process of attempting to bring pressure to bear on policy makers to gain policy outcomes in favor of an interest group.

Local Government

A form of public administration that exists as the lowest tier of administration within a given state.

International Organization

An organization established by a treaty and possessing its own international legal personality, such as the United Nations or World Health Organization.

Grassroots Movement

A political or economic movement that uses the people in a given district, region, or community as its basis, associated with bottom-up decision making.

Participatory Democracy

A system of governance often conflated with grassroots politics that seeks a more equitable and democratic society.