PATRONAGE OF MARY

DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL
School Year 2021 - 2022 | First Semester | Istructional Packet

Community Engagement, Solidarity, and Citizenship | HUMSS - 11

Concepts and Perspective of Community | Chapter - 1
Defining Community | Lesson - 2
I. Objectives
At the end of this chapter, the students should be able to:
a. explain the importance of learning about community and community
dynamics and processes;
b. compare and contrast the definations of community using social science,
institutional, civil society, and organic perspectives;
c. compare and contrast the typologies of communities;
d. analyze functions of communities in terms of structures, dynamics, and
processes;
e. develop a sense of shared identity and willingness to contribute to the
attainment of the common good; and
f. recognize diversities in communities.
II. Lesson Preview
How do communities emerge? What makes an individual a member of a
community? Before we answer these questions, it is necessary that we discuss
the concept of community.
The word community, considered as a Late Middle English term, is derived
from the Latin word communitas which means “fellowship.” Its Latin roots,
communis, means “common”. Com translates to “with” or “together”, whereas
munire translates to “to strengthen,” “to fortify,” or “to defend”.
There are various perspectives of community. Each perspective emphasizes a
particular approach and treatment in the study of communities. In the next
section, four perspectives will be discussed: the social science perspective,
institutional perspective, civil society perspective, and organic perspective.

III. Content
A. SOCIAL SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE
A social science perspective toward understanding communities is premised
on the social dimension of individual life – the interactions, relationships, and
bonds formed by individuals with other individuals and how these are
manifested in the formation of organizations within communities.
Learning about communities using this perspective essentially incorporates
ideas and concepts gathered from fields of knowledge, such as anthropology,
social psychology, sociology, and political science, to name a few. These
disciplines offer varied insights and lessons in understanding the meaning
and relevance of community.
Greek thinkers like Plato have conceptualized the ideal (political) community,
referred to as the polis (city-state), to be composed of various classes, each
performing roles and functions in pursuit of communal goals. Alongside
Plato’s idea of a political community, Aristotle emphasized the role of political
institutions in maintaining and sustaining order within a community. From
these, ideas and conceptualizations of community have evolved through the
historical junctures of western civilization.

The study of communities using a social science perspective goes beyond

knowledge of the origins and history of communities. A social science

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 perspective can be employed to learn how a community deals with problems
and crises. Take the case of disaster-affected communities. A sociological
lens may be used to gather valuable insights about how members of a
community works as a collective in order to address the effects of a disaster
to life and livelihood. Political science draws attention to the interactive
political processes between societal forces and government agencies in
preparing and responding to disasters. Through the close study of the
attributes and values of communities, anthropology can offer insights on how
disaster management agencies can effectively communicate disaster
preparedness and response strategies to community members.

B. INSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVE
Communities have a mechanism for coordinating values, goals, and actions
of its individual members. Social institutions perform this function. Social
Institutions arise from voluntary shared agreements among individuals that
generally also shape their behavior as a collective.
Institutions are established rules that ensure the regular and predictable
behavior of actors within a community. Nobel laureate Douglass North
describes institutions as the “rule of the game” that shape a community and
society in general. Geoffrey Hodgson qualifies this by suggesting that
institutions both constrain and enable behavior. He contends that:
The existence of rules implies constraints. However, such a constraint can open up
possibilities: it may enable choices and actions that otherwise would not exist. For example:
the rules of language allow us to communicate; traffic rules help traffic flow more easily and
safely; the rule of law can increase personal safety. Regulation is not always the antithesis of
freedom; it can be its ally (Hodgson 2006, 2).
Institutions structure incentives and sanctions – whether political, social, or
economic – to regulate human action and interaction, thus, shaping how
communities and societies evolve through time.
In broad terms, institutions are categorized as formal and informal. Formal
institutions are explicitly communicated, embodied in legally codified
documents or artifacts. These serve as basis for the authority to be executed
or expressed. Examples of these are the laws and policies that are
implemented by a government agency or office. Informal institutions, on
the other hand, are practices, norms, traditions, culture, conduct, and belief
systems of a community. These are not codified or written, but are
nonetheless embedded in communities, operating due to the interactive
process of preference exchanges and social expectations that occurred
therein.
It is interesting to note that communities are both sources and recipients of
institutions. Individuals in a community take part in creating and formulating
institutions. These rules, in turn, are applied to them or a subset of their
community. This illustrates that despite the potential conflict spurred from
individual self-interests, communities are capable of constructing and
imagining their identity as a group. Thus, communities, are also capable of
framing their goals and aspirations despite the diversity of its members.
Since institutions regulate the behavior of community members, having
institutions also imply that, as a collective, a community has a notion of what
is normative. This refers to the ideal standards, models, or conduct that is
based on what is collectively considered as appropriate or proper. In this
context, normative pertains to set ideals, goals, and objectives, which
pursuits are aligned with community standards.
C. CIVIL SOCIETY PERSPECTIVE
The term civil society conventionally refers to a political community of
organized groups operating within the authoritative parameters of the state.
From the view of politics, it is distinguished from the state to broadly refer to
organizations that re private, autonomous from the government, and which
are in pursuit of advocacies, causes, and goals. It is an aggregate of active
groups and associations, such as businesses, organized interest groups, and

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 clubs. Civil society has also been referred to as the third sector, distinct
from the state (government) and the market (business). Figure 1.1 illustrates
the separation of civil society from the state and the market.
Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and people’s organizations
(POs) are common examples of civil society organizations. These
organizations actively pursue political and social development goals through
a variety of actions and strategies. A fundamental characteristic of these
organizations is the voluntary nature of its membership, with emphasis on
citizen participation. In most cases, the goals and strategies of NGOs and POs
complement with those of the state. NGOs and POs are presumed to work in
partnership with the state in a cooperative mode to address societal
problems in the areas of environmental protection, social welfare, the
promotion of human rights and civil liberties, and local development, among
others.
POs are independent, autonomous entities, officially registered and
acknowledged as organizations according to the rules and standards set by
the state. Perhaps, one of the significant features of POs is its claim to
represent impoverished, vulnerable, and marginalized communities. POs may
be organizations outside a community. Members of the local community are
integrated into POs through cooperative or participatory activities that
heighten their relevance, impact, and representational function. In the case
of the Philippines, POs and NGOs are officially registered in the Philippine
Securities and Exchange Commission.
Some examples of NGOs are the Galing Pook Foundation Inc., World Vision
Foundation Inc., and the Tuloy Foundation Inc. The Partido ng Manggagawa,
Rotaract Club, and the Philippine Alliance for Human Rights Advocates, on
the other hand, are example of POs.
Similar to the behavior and voluntary characteristic of NGOs and POs, a
social movement is a form of collective behavior which springs largely from
the attitudes and aspirations of its participants. Social movements are
formed when civil society organizations and non-affiliated individuals share
sentiments, views, approaches, and solutions in addressing issues and
problems in society.
What distinguishes a social movement from NGOs and POs is that it is
composed of a variety of loosely affiliated organizations, united by common
views toward particular socio-political issues. There is no formal membership
in social movements. Individuals who are not members of organized citizen
groups fluidly enter and exit social movements. Being a part of social
movements requires commitment and activism.
In the Philippines, issues such as land reform, labor rights, corruption,,
reproductive health rights, religious freedom, ethnic and indigenous rights,
and bureaucratic reform have historically become impetuses for the
formation of social movements.

Social movements are also distinguished from mass action – the former
operates based on planned strategies and tactics for pursuing a goal or
objective, whereas the later takes place when a large number of people
behave similarly and spontaneously but without coordination between
themselves.
D. ORGANIC PERSPECTIVE
An organic
perspective of
community refers
to local or
grassroots group
within a particular
locale that are
driven and

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 organized because of community issues and concerns. They are referred to
as “grassroots” because of their local and capacity-building characteristics. It
is generally conceptualized as the formation of neighborhood organizations,
rural or urban, convened to pursue local development goals or address
particular issues, such as crime prevention, environmental protection, or
waste management.

This is implemented through building and bolstering community capacities,

such as skills in resource management and development. Grassroots
communities are able to strengthen their sense of community as they work
together in pursuing an identified task or goal. Important and urgent
problems that require community responses and solutions also occur due to
structural factors. If one takes this view, problems, such as crime incidence,
poor disaster response, ineffective waste management, and the like, are
seen as symptoms of broader issues that affect the communities. For
example, lowering the incidence of petty crimes may be accomplished by
organizing citizen patrol groups and installing security features in the
community. But to truly address the problem, it is important to identify the
root of the problem. If what causes the problem is poverty, for example, then
communities may respond by implementing livelihood programs and other
activities to stimulate the local economy, thereby, providing its people
livelihood and less reason to commit crimes.
Grassroots organizations or movements are typically composed of volunteers
from the local/community level. The initiatives and actions of local volunteers
are instrumental in establishing said organization. Sociologists argue that
grassroots organizations are exemplars of the ability of communities to
sophisticate their associational capacities through self-organization.
Historically, grassroots organizations and movements have also been
instrumental in political party formation.
IV. Performance Activty. Please see attached documents (attachments)
Activity 1: Try to come up with your own definition of the word “community”
using 15 words or less. Discuss and compare your definition with the rest of
your family member and see who has that most concise and encompassing
definition
Community defined by my Parents (Father or Mather):
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________
Community defined by my siblings (Brother or Sister):
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________
My owned definition of Community:
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________
Activity 2: Discuss the unique characteristics, rules, or norms your previous
school (Junior High School) has.

PROCESSING QUESTIONS
1. Can you consider your school to be a community? Explain your answer based
on the activity and from what you have learned so far in this module.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
__________

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 2. Are there other groups you belong to which you think may be considered a
community? Enumerate them and explain our answer.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
__________

V. Reference
Taguibao, J. G. & De Guzman, F. R. C. (2016). Community Engagement,
Solidarity, and Citezenship. Vibal Group Inc.
Peterson, J. A. (2015), Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society. University of
San Carlos Press.
Vivar, T., Viloria, E., Suiray, R., & Dela Cruz, N. (1999). (Philippines: History and
Government. Vibal Publishinh House, Inc.
Leuterio, F. C. (1998). Philippine Hostory and Government. St. Augustine
Publication, Inc.

Prepared by: Approved:

JAYZA MAY M. ENCIO ROUEL A. LONGINOS, Ed.D., Ph.D.

Subject Teacher School Pricipal

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