Academic field in the study of community
Community studies
is an
academic field
drawing on both
sociology
and
anthropology
and the
social research
methods
of
ethnography
and
participant observation
in the study of community. In academic settings around the world, community studies is variously a sub-discipline of anthropology or sociology, or an independent discipline. It is often interdisciplinary and geared toward practical applications rather than purely theoretical perspectives.
[1]
Community studies is sometimes combined with other fields, i.e., "Urban and Community Studies," "Health and Community Studies," or "Family and Community studies."
[2]
Epistemology
[
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]
In
North America
, community studies drew inspiration from the classic
urban sociology
texts produced by the
Chicago School
, such as the works of
Louis Wirth
and
William Foote Whyte
. In
Britain
, community studies was developed for colonial administrators working in East Africa, particularly
Kenya
. It was further developed in the
post-war
period with the
Institute of Community Studies
founded by
Michael Young
in east London, and with the studies published from the institute, such as
Family and Kinship in East London
.
Community studies, like
colonial
anthropology
, have often assumed the existence of discrete, relatively
homogeneous
, almost
tribe
-like
communities
, which can be studied as
organic
wholes
. In this, it has been a key
influence
on
communitarianism
and
communalism
, from the
local context
to the
global
and everywhere in between.
[
citation needed
]
Curricula
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]
Community studies
curricula
are often centered on the "concerns" of communities. These include mental and physical health, stress, addiction, AIDS, racism, immigration, ethnicity, gender, identity, sexuality, the environment, crime, deviance, delinquency, family problems, social competence, poverty, homelessness and other psycho-social aspects. Understanding the socio-cultural completeness and the anthropological ramifications of the accurate analysis of community health is key to the sphere of these studies.
[3]
Another focus of curricula in community studies is upon anthropology,
cultural anthropology
in particular. Some programs set as prerequisite knowledge, the background and historical contexts for community, drawing upon
archeological findings
and the theoretical underpinnings for social organization in ancient and prehistorical community settings. The theories connected with the
Neolithic Revolution
is one example of a deep study into how, where and why, hunter-gatherer communities formed.
[4]
Community studies have been linked to the causes of social justice, promoting peace and
nonviolence
and working towards social change, often within an
activist
framework.
[5]
Notes
[
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]
- ^
The University of California at Santa Cruz has an interdisciplinary
Community Studies Department
Archived
2006-09-04 at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
Examples of Community Studies programs with a particular focus:
Urban and Community Studies
Archived
2012-08-31 at the
Wayback Machine
at the University of Toronto;
The Institute of Health and Community Studies
Archived
2006-07-13 at the
Wayback Machine
at Bournemouth University, UK, and
The Faculty of Child, Family and Community Studies
Archived
2012-07-30 at
archive.today
at Douglas College, New Westminster BC, Canada.
- ^
Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology
, Aims and Scope
- ^
Bellwood, Peter. (2004).
First Farmers: The Origins of Agricultural Societies
. Blackwell Publishers.
ISBN
0-631-20566-7
- ^
See, for example:
Community Studies 2005
Archived
2006-08-23 at the
Wayback Machine
, U.C. Santa Cruz;
The College of Public and Community Service
Archived
2006-08-28 at the
Wayback Machine
, UMass, Boston, and
The Institute for Community Peace
Archived
2006-06-22 at the
Wayback Machine
, an
NGO
in Washington, D.C.
Further reading
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Sources
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]
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