What Do You Mean When You Use the Term "Community"?

A:

The Transition uses the same definition for community as our forebears that came before us. We mean a commonly understood commitment between people to look out for each other; to come to each other's assistance in times of need (both personal and political); to think together about the way the world works and what needs to be done about it; and to insist with each other that we take decisive actions. You will notice that we did not say community consists of a group of people living in a house or houses together or living in a farm in the country...But, "community" is broader than that and it is not limited to communal living. It can occur among workers in a factory, among neighbors, among individuals or families living in apartments or houses by themselves. For organizational purposes The Transition refers to these types of "communities" as BUDs.

 

Source: Building Social Change Communities

Contributors: Peter Woodrow, Susanne Terry, The Training/ Action Affinity Group of Movement for a New Society

Suggested Reading: Building Social Change Communities