Chapter 3: Living and Working in Communities Flashcards
(24 cards)
How will mental schemas affect our persepctive of community life?
Mental schemas create biases and fuel stereotypes when involving ourselves in the community because of our past experiences.
What is the ideal perspective of community organizers?
Being realistic about deficits but also have the ability to see and harness community assets.
How can you get acquainted with the focal system?
- Look at all levels of information
- Understand the strengths of between and among the systems
- Evaluate power dynamics
- Review the history of the community
- Identify the local norms and truisms
- Understand the quantitative situation
What are the two types of boundaries?
Symbolic and social
What are symbolic boundaries?
A reflection of members’ internal schemas about the characteristics of community members and non-community members.
What are social boundaries?
More visible schemas like choice of housing, religious practices, and dress.
What are the three types of community boundaries?
Closed, premeable, and open.
Why can closed and open communities pose difficulties?
Closed: Impossible to join since they are private communities.
Open: Few ways for people to connect and a high turnover of engaged residents.
What are the steps to fitting into a community?
- Explore and observe
- Compare to your past
- Get to know people
- Participate more often
- Identify with the group
- Group sees you as part of the collective
- Outsiders label you as a group member
- Process spirals to next level
What is fitting in?
The conscious effort to fully and truly understand a gorup of people that you genuinely want to interact with and build relationships with. It is a recipricol process (both parties have to make an effort)
What was the Chicago school’s theory?
Symbolic Interactionism
We create the social world through decisions we make in our encounters with each other. People with vastly different views can work together for the common good.
What was the Iowa school’s theory?
Structural Functionalism
Interactions are based on idnvidual decisions on how to act, but also on unwritten rules for behaviour that have solidified over time. Each group has predetermined expectations of each other.
What would be the Iowa School’s perspective on fitting into a community?
You would have to understand how people would view your social characteristics and how you view their social characteristics. These perspecctives would have to be brought together and accepted to become a part of the collective identity.
What is role taking?
Imagining what others expect of you
What is role making?
Every time you say or do something
What would be the Chicago school’s perspective of fitting into a community?
Our social identities are shaped through day-to-day interactions. You create your sense of self through the lense of others. Awareness of your own approaches that worked well in past experiences can help you transition into a communities processess.
What are the three major positions?
Outsiders, insiders, and insider-outsiders
What are insiders?
People who have an established place in the community: this is attained through longevity, reputation, and sometimes efforts. People feel they know you and can trust you.
What are outsiders?
People who do not belong or intend to belong in the community. They do not have a permenant position in the community. Outsiders may come with an agenda or be invited to help, and can be a source with valuable information.
What are insider-outsiders?
People who live or work in the community, are experts and want to contribute but are recognized neither as outside experts or real leaders of the community. Initially known by visible activities.
How can you understand expected behaviours?
Observing quietly by hanging out unobstrusively and understanding how people interact and go about their daily lives.
How can you try new roles?
Introducing yourself to someone, asking questions to learn more about them and their role in the community, and reflect on the conversation.
How do you become a part of things?
Accept invitations to events, volunteer, contribute financially, keep meeting people, be recipricol of help and encouragement.
What are some barriers to acceptance?
Coming off as an expert, appearing to brag, and being unaware of the impact of your social positions.
