Community Engagement, Solidarities, and Citizenship Practice Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the etymology, characteristics, functions, dynamics, and typologies of communities as discussed in the lecture.

Communitas

A Latin word meaning "the same" from which the term community is derived.

Communis

A Latin word meaning "common, public, or shared by all or many."

Locality

A basic element of community where people occupy a territorial area and develop a "we" feeling or social identification with each other.

Sentiments

Social coherence that people inculcate within themselves, involving a sense of belonging together and to their residence.

Distinctiveness

A community characteristic involving geographical boundaries with a clear beginning and end.

Homogeneity

Similarity in psychosocial characteristics, language, lifestyle, customs, interests, and traditions within defined boundaries.

Production, Distribution, & Consumption

The community function that provides members with the means of their living through agriculture, industry, or services.

Socialization

The community function that instills norms, values, and traditions in members through modeling or formal education.

Social Control

The community function that enforces adherence to community values through group pressure or formal laws.

Social Participation

The community function that fulfills the human need for companionship through groups such as churches or neighborhoods.

Mutual Support

Common action that enables cooperation to accomplish tasks too large or urgent for individuals, such as donations or tax-funded hospitals.

Demographics

A component of community dynamics involving population size, age distribution, and sex ratio.

Community Action

A process where people address and resolve problems within their community to improve quality of life and promote unity.

Social Sciences Perspective

A perspective on community that examines how social interactions are formed and maintained.

Institutional Perspective

A perspective on community that focuses on physical places and social models or structures.

Socio-Political Structure

Refers to the social and political processes occurring within a locality, focusing on how interactions are influenced by political systems.

Cultural Structure

Institutionalized patterns of a way of life shared by community members, consisting of symbols, languages, norms, and rituals.

Economic Structure

Organized ways through which people produce goods, allocate limited resources, and generate wealth to satisfy needs.

Community Power

The belief that people should have a voice in shaping the places where they live and the services they use.

Social Change

An alteration in societal norms, rules of behavior, culture, or social institutions.

Typology

A system of classifying or grouping things into categories based on similarities to keep them organized.

Formal Community

A community officially organized with government backing, recognized leaders, written rules, and explicit responsibilities.

Informal Community

An unofficial community that lacks formal leadership or governance and is often driven by volunteers.

Sectoral Communities

Voluntary, non-profit, and non-governmental entities commonly referred to as the Third Sector.

Sociopetal Space

A spatial design or layout that encourages and allows interaction, such as circular seating or open plazas.

Sociofugal Space

A spatial design or layout that discourages or limits interaction, such as waiting room chairs facing away from each other.