Term Community and Issues That Have Been of Concern to Community Groups - Coursework Example

What do you understand by the term community? Institution Date Introduction Community is a term that is widely described. There are several ways through which the term community can be explained. By definition, community can be defined as a representation of a group of individuals who undertake specific activities in a particular locality. The term community also refers to the surroundings in which individuals work, live or an environment in which individuals school at. It is therefore important to note that community is a challenging term that is broadly employed in various ways by different groups of individuals and can assume different forms. Community is normally observed in positive sense since it shun away from individualism and concentrate more on positive characters such as sharing, loyalty, belonging and co-operation. Due to its vast nature, community can also be explained by considering issues surrounding it. It can be looked at in terms of boundary, network, local social system, norms and habits. This paper therefore seeks to describe the term community and illustrate issues that have been of concern to community groups. Community can be understood as a locality within which members share something in common among each other. It is because of the thing that certain group members held in common that makes them different from other possible group members. Therefore, community refers to both similarity and difference. Group members who have similar beliefs, traditions, ideas and religions do always fall within a certain boundary or locality while those with different beliefs, religion, traditions and ideas do always fall outside the boundary. Therefore community refers to locality or boundary within which individuals with common idea, traditions, beliefs and religion fall. Communities are usually identified well by boundaries. Boundaries do always mark and illustrate how big a certain community is (Smith 2001). Community can also be understood as a network and local social system. Smith (2001) argues that even though individuals do always stay close to each other, it does not necessarily imply that they share a lot of things in common. Little association may prevail among neighbors. It is the kind of associations among individuals and the social networks in which they belong to that is normally observed as essential aspect of the community. In most cases, when individuals define the term community, they normally refer to social networks that people belong to. Therefore, community can be understood as a system that links individuals socially. The social network can be intimate such as family and friends or it can go beyond intimacy such as work, church and neighborhood relations. Apart from understanding the term community, there are several issues that have been of concern to community groups that should be identified. One such issue is the impact of globalization. Globalization refers to intensification of international social associations that connect distant places in such a way that events that occur locally can be shaped by events happening very far and vice versa. The term globalization and its effect is not a new a concept, it has been in existence for along period of time. Of late, communities are highly influenced by what is referred to as globalization of production. Globalization of production greatly influences and develops relationships. It is normally based on integration of economic activities on a wide scale (Suárez-Orozco & Qin-Hilliard, 2004). Currently, the impacts of globalization clearly come out strongly from four main centers, which are United States of America, China, India and Europe. Many community groups around the world are being affected by ripples of development from these countries. Of late, there have been riots in Mexico due to increased cost of living. Due to globalization, the prices for staple food in Mexico, that is, the cost of tortilla has increased by over 25%. Therefore, globalization has been of concern to community groups since it increases the cost of living (Alias, 2008). Globalization has enhanced interaction among individuals from different communities around the globe. Ergil (2010) looks at globalization as a social and cultural development that has enhanced interaction among community groups than ever before. The integration of community groups around the globe has made individuals to adopt various ways of thinking, various cultural values and new ways of living as a family. Globalization has made women in various community groups to avoid staying at home and start working away from home. It has also made children to seek education so as to assist the world rather than to work for their parents alone. As community groups around the globe share their experiences via international networks of information and work, a wider understanding of culture is developing, which assist in improving the lives of individuals and families in various community groups. Globalization therefore is a phenomenon that is created via human activity and in turn transforms this human behavior or activity. The good thing about globalization is its ability to shape online communities. The process of shaping online communities by globalization has result into evolution of people’s new identities around the globe while ignoring their nationality and residing area. This is normally viewed as a new stage of acculturation. Therefore, with globalization, new ideas, new working methods, good life and governance are usually shared internationally. Globalization has significantly affected the family. Fleer & Hedegaard (2008) argue that changes, brought about by globalization, have a great impact on the family since the family is the strategic social unit in which social role play, division of labor, members’ collective decisions, movements and their developments are looked upon. These kinds of decisions normally define family members’ identities and their relationship with the entire community. Furthermore, these decisions can be changed, be debated upon, be renegotiated and their conflicts resolved. It is therefore important to note that not only societal issues are affected by globalization but also intra-familial issues are currently being affected by globalization than ever before. The impact of globalization in various community groups around the globe is not similar. In families, for instance, the impact of globalization depends on several factors. Depending on the place they live and the social class they belong to, families will be affected differently by globalization. According to Fleer & Hedegaard (2008), women can move out of the family environment and join the workforce within the traditional-conservative surroundings. However, to do this, they need to be part of cultural surrounding that is ethically diverse. Women may decide to put on different dress and also cover their heads. The main impact of globalization is that, it transforms gender roles and secures a place for women within the workplace. Women’s empowerment normally transforms hierarchical role distribution that operates against women in the family and the entire community. Enhancing the need for higher education makes many women seek education and improve the quality of men’s professional training. Of late, many jobs are purely skill-intensive. Education systems on the other hand are prepared to give functional training to students so as take part in the current available jobs (Raby & Valeau, 2009). As away of improving and maintaining the positive impact of globalization and minimizing globalization’s negative impact, community groups have reacted by putting in place policies that promote globalization’s positive effects and discourages the negative effects, such as increased cost of living. In order to avoid the problem of enhanced cost of living, many countries do always trade with economies that are not performing poorly so as to avoid importing inflation. As a way of exercising community leadership, many community leaders have avoided traditional leadership styles and instead adopted international ones. Community leaders have ensured that gender balance is observed in all community activities. Apart from impact of globalization, there are several environmental issues that are of concern to community groups. The main environmental issues that are of concern to community groups include air pollution, industrial sites and unlawful wastes dumping, water safety, mercury exposure, transit justice, food deserts, urban green space, lead poisoning, heat within the city, basic living and change in climate. Air pollution is a serious problem to many community groups. Pollution of air normally causes health problems to individuals. Most urban communities are affected by outdoor air pollution (Jordan, 2008). Outdoor air pollution is normally caused by smoke from automobiles and manufacturing industries. According to environmental protection agency report, many Africa Americans stay in areas that violate national air pollution standards as compared to white population. It is important to note that breathing in bad air can result to several health problems and higher blood lead levels. Breathing in bad air can also cause asthma. Statistics show that many blacks in America are more likely to suffer from asthma related diseases than whites. Air pollution can also enhance risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other harmful respiratory problems (Whyte, 2010). Unlawful waste dumping and industrial sites have proved to be problematic to several community groups. Many people in urban areas do stay near waste management facilities and power plants. This kind of living normally impact there lives negatively. Buckingham & Turner (2008) argues that most industries in urban areas normally dispose waste inappropriately. They normally ignore the law that regulates industrial waste when dumping the waste. According to Buckingham & Turner (2008), industrial wastes that are disposed unlawfully can contaminate the available water system and land for agriculture and housing. Many communities therefore that stay near these industries can easily develop health complications. As one of the environmental issue, water safety is an issue that many community groups around the globe are greatly concerned with. Water is normally viewed as being very essential to human beings. However, many community groups do always find it hard to access clean and safe water. Many people do always swim next to waste-contaminated beaches and stay next to contaminated flood waters. Fridell (2006) argues that accessing clean and safe water is an essential human right for healthy population and environment. Accessing clean and healthy water is not easy, particularly in urban areas. Majority of the city water systems are usually fluoridated. It is believed that fluoridation chemicals, when placed in water, can cause premature births, enhanced blood lead levels, tooth discoloration among children and learning disabilities. Contaminated water can also result to higher levels of complications, such as diabetes and kidney failure. Community groups around the globe are of late using public transit at higher rate than ever before. Public transit, such as the use of buses and trains, are believed to be both advantageous and disadvantageous to community groups. Harris (2012) argues that even though several environmental and economic benefits are associated with the use of buses, current urban policies have hardened life among individuals who rely on public transport to move around. In countries, such as United States of America and Australia, transit justice activists have raised complaints regarding fare increase, service reduction and inadequate responsiveness to customers’ complaints. Furthermore, several public transit systems are still applying diesel vehicles that produce carbon particulate matter and nitrogen oxides that transform into bad smoke, thus contributing to asthma and other health complications. As stated earlier, basic living and climate change are among the main environmental issues that are of concern to community groups. The current growth in climate change crisis implies that community groups will have to pay a lot for basic commodities. According to report released currently by program for environmental and regional equity at Southern California University, developing climate change crisis implies that individuals in various community groups will have to pay heavily on essential commodities. Currently, in many communities, low income earners and minority families are spending about twenty five percent of their income on food, water and electricity. The increased cost of living has therefore made community groups to concern with change in environment and basic living so as to make life simple (McConnell & Abel, 2007). In order to solve the above mentioned environmental problems, community leaders have come out strongly and provide rules and regulation that promote development and at the same time conserve the environment. As away of promoting safe environment, community leaders do discourage industries from developing harmful commodities and instead develop products that are environmentally safe. Individuals in a community are also advised to drive less and instead make use of bicycle, scooter or unicycle. Manufacturing industries are encouraged to recycle their waste products and avoid disposing the waste in the landfills. Adaptation of conservation policies and regulations has been of success particularly in Netherlands. Many people in Netherlands prefer using bicycle rather than automobiles so as to minimize air pollution (Kelly, 2004). Social equity is another issue that has been of concern to community groups. The term social equity generally refers to equal access to education, resources and livelihood. It also refers to self-determination in attaining essential needs and full involvement in political and cultural life by community members. In conservation, social equity refers to the desire for equal distribution of conservation’s gains and costs among various community groups. It normally acknowledges that community groups have various desires, interests, rights to and duties over resources. Community groups are greatly concerned with the planning of social equity (Ramachandran, 2004). Social equity planning is very essential in promoting equality at workplace and in provision of public service. Several researches have highlighted essential factual foundation for reform efforts. Community groups are highly concerned with discrimination in public service provision. Discrimination in public service provision ranges from sewers’ installation and streets’ paving to provision of high standard education. Unfairness also prevail in public burdens’ allocation, which ranges from highways’ routing via inner city locality to the laying of landfills, incinerators and dangerous waste disposal places (Deakin, 1999). Of late, planning practice provides many opportunities, in fighting social equity problems. Many community enhancement planners working in suburbs that are old and in inner urban areas, do always use renovation, preservation, infill and community-based social and economic systems to nurture the community and business district revival. Revitalization and brownfields cleanup systems are currently being linked with transportation investments and work strategies. Coordination of the systems normally aims at developing schools, minimizing crime, enhancing neighborhoods and offering a combination of housing types at various prices (Kelly, 2009). Social equity has been of concern to various community groups. Many community groups have been hoping that with improvement in growth, wealth and resources will be distributed equality among community members so as to benefit minority groups and low income earners. This however, has never been the case. Historically, the low-income and minority groups have for along time been excluded from thriving neighborhoods via pricing or outright bans. Postwar suburbanization made jobs, wealth and middle class dwellers to be scarce in urban areas, thus causing suburbs enjoy enhanced sales and property tax bases. Therefore inner-city neighborhoods and inner-ring suburbs became regions with high level of poverty. There have been inadequate job opportunities, poor professional and social networks, thus resulting into enhanced social and crime problems (Frederickson, 2010). In order to solve these social equity issues, community groups have reacted in several ways. They have decided to develop more affordable houses so as to address some of the chronic social equity issues. Community groups have enacted inexpensive housing requirements, which assist in de-concentrating poverty. Instruments such as brownfield reclamation, land trusts and infill enhancement have been kept in place so as to avail inexpensive houses in culturally diverse and low-income neighborhoods where the values of the property is increasing at higher rate (Local government commission, 2008). As away of reacting to social equity issues, community groups, particularly low income advocates, are opposing the act of subsidizing real estate advances that cannot give local residents good jobs. As metropolitan areas transforms into highly central economic units, it has been proved that aimed efforts to minimize concentrated poverty can really improve regional income. Community groups also stresses on how crucial human capital and healthy social fabric are to regional economic strength. Therefore, for effective leadership, community leaders should always incorporate the low-income and minority leaders in regional planning, visioning and debate so that economic and community enhancement and transit planning can reflect the interests of everyone in the community (Gutierrez, 2003). Conclusion From the discussion, community can be understood as a locality within which members share something in common. It can also be understood as a network and local social system. Impact of globalization, environmental and social equity issues are some of the issues that have been of concern to community groups. Globalization refers to intensification of international social associations that connect distant places in such a way that events that occur locally can be shaped by events happening very far and vice versa. The term social equity generally refers to equal access to education, resources and livelihood. It also refers to self-determination in attaining essential needs and full involvement in political and cultural life by community members. Some of environmental issues that are of concern to community groups include air pollution, industrial sites and unlawful wastes dumping, water safety, transit justice, basic living and change in climate. References Alias, C. (2008). The Impact of Globalization on the United Mexican States: Globalization is Good for Mexico, Yet Not for All Mexicans. Berlin: GRIN Verlag. Buckingham, S. & Turner, M. (2008). Understanding Environmental Issues. New York: SAGE. Deakin, E. (1999). Social Equity in Planning. Retrieved on 15th May 2012, from ERGİL, D. (2010). Social and cultural impacts of globalization. Retrieved on 13th May 2012, from Fleer, M & Hedegaard, M. (2008). Childhood Studies and the Impact of Globalization: Policies and Practices at Global and Local Levels. New York: Taylor & Francis. Frederickson, G. (2010). 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