COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, SOLIDARITY AND CITIZENSHIP

Community Structures

A. STRUCTURES OF A COMMUNITY
1. Social Structure
It includes first and foremost, the family being the foundation of every community. Of all the structures
of the community, the family has the biggest contribution to the character building of the population. The
individual member undergo a process of character building based on a common cultural views and practices
by the family.
Social groupings is another example under the category of social structure. The identity of
social group depends on what function it represent and how it operates in performing its functions.
Considered within the realm of social group are those groups outside the confines of the family circle.
Membership in different social groups do not always follow a single pattern of inclusion. It may depend on the
nature and functions of a group. One group may be open for all ages and gender while others may be
restricted to preidentified class like interests and occupations among others.
2. Cultural Structure

For Edward Burnett Tylor, considered as the father of cultural anthropology, culture is “a complex
whole which includes knowledge beliefs, law, art, morals, customs and other capabilities and habits acquired
by man as a member of a society” (britannica.com, 2010). Culture doesn’t take form in short span of time but
rather is shaped through a long period of practice and a process of deliberate transfer from one generation to
another.

Religion is part of the cultural structure with the purpose of promoting beliefs and influencing
individual’s way of dealing with day-to-day life situations. Religious beliefs are responsible for many social
activities observed in different parts of the country which include the town fiestas, Christmas, and Eid ul Fitr.
3. Economic Structure
Part of the economic structure is the system on equal distribution of resources including the
multitude of benefits that can be derived from them. Economic structure maintains a set of rules to regulate
and protect the interest of everyone in the community from the consumer to the producers and distributors
of goods and services.
In many traditional communities, economic structure is observed as part of their culture. There is a
system of property acquisition and transfer of ownership. In urban communities economic activities are
driven by and reliant on modern technologies.
The economic structures consist of the rules and practices that govern fair distribution and utilization of
resources. The people that produce and facilitate the distribution of products and services. And of course the
people who consumes the products and services ensuring healthy interactions between the economic
structure and the other three.
 B. DYNAMICS AND PROCESSES

After the national government declared the ECQ over the entire Metro Manila, local government
officials followed suit by crafting more rules which they see fit within their territories. By doing so the
government set a new standard for peoples’ daily activities. Even business establishments were required to
adopt new standards for their operations.

Social gatherings including religious ones were temporarily shut down. The education sector was
forced to explore for any possible means to ensure that the education of the students will not be hampered
by the pandemic. In the process the ECQ has effectively redefined the ways of life of the people towards
creating, what we now call, the new normal.
 Community dynamics and processes work to push the community towards achieving stability.
However, it will still depend on how the structures within the system will react to the changes that were
triggered by the pandemic. There is no way of telling if the interactions of the different structures will only
produce positive results. It can go either way but both will impact the lives of the people in the community.

1. Power

Power in the context of community dynamics, pertains to the ability to influence peoples’ behavior
and institutional views affecting the community processes. In the absence of power institutions will not be
able to perform their functions, thus the community will be in disarray.

There are different sources of power at the community level; connections, legitimate position,
expertise, charisma or personal traits, information, coercion, rewards and the size of the organization
the leader held. The use of power by its wielder will affect the community processes.

Power can bring balance within or between community structures. In some ways power is used to
undermine norms hence manipulating and changing sociocultural and politico-legal views.

2. Leadership
Leadership is the process of directing or guiding a group towards certain goals. Leadership is manifested in
different ways depending on the orientation and personal belief of the leader or the consensus of the group.

Three leadership views that provide the basis for may leadership styles employed in different organizations.
1. A leader can be autocratic – one who believes that they are the center of the organization and
therefore deserved unconditional obedience.
2. A democratic leader- respects the right of everyone to participate in the decision-making process.
Everyone’s view is respected for as long as it will be the majority’s decision that will settle the issue.
3. Laissez-Fair- requires less supervision from top since member has already exhibited the ability to do
things fairly and accurately all on their own.

The leader must have a program or preset idea in mind on how the community must be governed.
Inclusivity means to engage people in the planning and decision-making process. This way the leader is
sharing ownership and accountability to the program they will implement. After implementing the program,
the leader must have to take time to assess whether the objective of the program is met or have the program
can be further improved.