Community Engagement, Solidarity and Citizenship

Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600

Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Name:
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

S.Y. 2020-2021 Second Trimester Grade Level/Section:

MODULE 1 – CESC Subject Teacher:

Introduction to Community Engagement, Solidarity and Citizenship and

Concepts and Perspectives of Community
I. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

 Understand the definitions of community, community engagement, solidarity and citizenship

 Integrate the lessons learned from previous specialized and applied subjects with the concepts of CESC
 Compare and contrast the definitions of a community using various perspectives (social sciences, institutionalism,
civil society, and organic/grassroots/local level);
 Recognize essential characteristics of communities in terms of elements and structures;
 Develop /affirm a sense of shared identity and willingness to contribute to the attainment of the common good;
 Recognize diversities in communities; and
 Analyze the functions of communities in terms of structures and typologies.

II. DISCUSSION

DEFINITION OF TERMS

COMMUNITY – generally defined by their common cultural heritage, language, beliefs, and shared interest among
people.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT – refers to the process of working collaboratively with and through groups of people
affiliated by geographic proximity, special interest, or similar situations to address issues affecting the wellbeing of those
people concerned.

SOLIDARITY – refers to the climate of a community where people observe unity among members based on their
common responsibilities, objectives and goals as a group.

CITIZENSHIP – refers to the rights of a person acquired by being affiliated or connected to a particular community. He
or she is entitled to practice common responsibilities, decisions, and actions being recognized as a part or member of a
certain community.

CONCEPTS AND PERSPECTIVES OF COMMUNITY

Community – derived from the Latin word “communitas”. (“Communitas” – fellowship “Communis” – common; “Com”
– with; “munire” – to strengthen)
 An informally organized social entity, characterized by a sense of identity.
 A group of people living in the same defined area, sharing common basic values, organization and interest.
 It is a group of people whose connection and relations are formed by their shared histories, experiences,
geographies, and identities. Members of the community are brought together by commonly held interests,
aspirations, perspectives and values.
Three Notions of Community:
1. Community as shared political and territory and heritage
a. A tradition understanding of community refers to a group of people living in the same geographical area
where interpersonal ties are locally bounded and are based on a shared government and a common
cultural and historical heritage. Since the community is viewed as something that is situated within local
boundaries, this notion of community is applied to the institutional and grassroots perspective.
b. Example: Education, military, government, healthcare
2. Community as a network of interpersonal ties based on common interest.
a. Another notion of community refers to a network of interpersonal ties that are based around a common
interest. These ties, in return, provide mutual support, a sense of identity, and a sense of belongingness for
the members.
b. Example: Sporting community, LGBT community, virtual community/netizens
This module is an intellectual property of the University of the Cordilleras Senior High School. Unauthorized reproduction, modification, distribution, display or transmission in any form,
medium and manner of any of the contents of the modules (digital or printed) for whatever purpose is strictly prohibited.
 Community Engagement, Solidarity and Citizenship
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Name:
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

S.Y. 2020-2021 Second Trimester Grade Level/Section:

MODULE 1 – CESC Subject Teacher:

3. Community as profound sharing of spiritual and/or emotional connection

a. Community also pertains to a sense of spiritual and/or emotional connection to others, or communion
with others on the basis of an experience of a common problem, bond, or a situated cognition.
b. Example: Disaster survivors, People living with HIV, Christian Community
Sense of Community
Term by McMilliam and Chavis (1986), the term means “a feeling that members have of belonging, a feeling that
members matter to one another and to the group, and a shared faith that members’ need will be met through their
commitment to be together. Further developments lead to the Four Elements of Sense of Community:
1. Membership – refers to the feeling of belonging or of sharing a sense of personal relatedness. It consists of five
attributes:
a. Boundaries – allowing others to belong and keep others out.
b. Emotional safety – feeling of security and trust.
c. Sense of belonging and identification – members’ feeling that they belong, fit in, and are accepted by the
community.
d. Personal investment – sacrifices made to maintain membership in the community.
e. Common symbol system – represent the community such as emblems, ritual, rites of passage, dress codes,
etc.
2. Influence – refers to the sense of having importance or of feeling valued, wherein there is balance between
members feeling that they have a say in the community and a community being a body that also has the power to
make its members conform.
3. Integration and fulfilment of needs – refers to the feeling of fulfilment, which stems for persona investments
that members make in maintaining community membership or in participating in community activities and affairs.
4. Shared emotional connection – refers to a sense of shared cultural and heritage and the feeling that common
experiences will continue to be shared in the future.
Community Structures and their Elements
1. Social Structures (refer to your previous lesson on UCSP & DISS) – refers to the rules and expectations that
people develop in the community over time to help regulate and manage their interaction from one another.
a. Social Institutions – are established patterns of belief and behavior that are centered on addressing basic
social needs of people in the community.
i. Example: family, religion, economy, government, education, healthcare
b. Social groups – consist of two or more people in the community who regularly interact with one another
and consider themselves a distinct social unit.
i. Example: Primary groups (family, peers) & Secondary groups (clubs, gangs, political parties); in-
groups and out-groups.
c. Status – refers to the position or rank of the person holds, in relation to other members of the community.
i. Example: Ascribed Status and Achieved Status
d. Role – refers to the obligations or behaviors expected from an individual on the basis of one’s status in
life.
2. Cultural Structures (refer to your previous lesson on UCSP) – refers to the institutionalized patterns of ways of
life that are shared, learned, developed, and accepted by the people in the community.
a. Symbols and language – symbols are the shared words, gestures, objects, or signals which people in a
community use to convey and develop recognizable meanings. Language is a symbolic system that allows
people to develop complex, thoughts and records and explain ideas either through written oral or
nonverbal communication.
b. Norms - are socially accepted behavior.
c. Values and belief – values define the ideal principle of what is good, just and desirable. Belief refer to
the shared ideas of what is collectively true by people in a community.
d. Rituals – refers to the sacred or secular procedures and ceremonies that people in the community
regularly perform.
3. Political Structure – refers to the people’s established ways of allocating power and making decisions in running
and managing community affairs.
a. Leadership Structure – refer to the composition of recognized leaders in the community and the
workflow of their authority.
This module is an intellectual property of the University of the Cordilleras Senior High School. Unauthorized reproduction, modification, distribution, display or transmission in any form,
medium and manner of any of the contents of the modules (digital or printed) for whatever purpose is strictly prohibited.
 Community Engagement, Solidarity and Citizenship
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Name:
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

S.Y. 2020-2021 Second Trimester Grade Level/Section:

MODULE 1 – CESC Subject Teacher:

b. Political Organization- pertains either to political parties or political groups in the community who are
engaged in political activities.
4. Economic Structure – pertains to various organized ways and means through which people in the community
produce goods and services, allocate limited resources, and generate wealth on order to satisfy their needs and
wants.
a. Capital Asset – refers to a property that is owned and has an economic value, which is expected to
generate interest and profit for a long period of time. There are 5 types of assets:
i. Human capital – pertains to the labor force in the community and their background in terms of
health, education, skills and capacity to work.
ii. Social capital – refers to the collective value of social networks and connections (patronage,
neighborhoods, kinships) and inclinations that arise in order to provide mutual support
iii. Natural capital – refers to land and water resources (forest, wildlife, kamote).
iv. Physical capital – refers to man-made infrastructure and technology (road, transportation,
energy).
v. Financial capital – refers to the savings, credit and debt, remittances, pensions, and salary and
wages.
b. Vulnerability context – pertains to the insecurity in the well-being of individuals and households in the
society.
c. Business climate – refers to the attitudes, laws, and policies of the government and economic institutions
toward businesses, enterprises and commercial activities.
d. Trade – pertains to the enterprise and business activities involving the sale and purchase of goods and
services.
Theoretical Perspectives in Community Engagement
1. Structural-Functionalism – Emile Durkheim
 According to Structural-Functionalism, communities are analogous to living organisms (for example, a human
being). Each part of the human body is linked to all other parts. Individual organs combine to create something
that is "greater than the sum total of their individual parts".
 In social terms, "organs" equate to social institutions (patterns of shared, stable, behaviour) and the focus of
analysis is upon the relationship between various institutions in society. Society is a system of interconnected
parts that work together in harmony to maintain a state of balance and social equilibrium for the whole.
 According to Durkheim, community should be analyzed and described in terms of functions. Society is a system
of interrelated parts where no one part can function without the other. These parts make up the whole of society.
If one part changes, it has an impact on society as a whole.
 Functionalists use the terms functional and dysfunctional to describe the effects of social elements on society to a
community. Elements of society are functional if they contribute to social stability and dysfunctional if they
disrupt social stability. Some aspects of society can be both functional and dysfunctional.
Structural-Functionalism Community Typologies (Ferdinand Tonnies & Emile Durkheim)
a. Gemeinschaft is a community of individuals with close personal and family ties.
 Natural will – where members relate to one another as total personality.
 Durkheim designate this as mechanical solidarity. It is a form of social cohesion that arises when people
in a society maintain similar values and beliefs and engage in similar types of work. Mechanical solidarity
most commonly occurs in traditional, simple societies such as those in which everyone herds cattle or
farms. Amish society exemplifies mechanical solidarity.
 Rural Communities – are territorial enclaves or villages where there is a small, low-density and
homogenous population. The economic system is based on agriculture.
b. Gesselschaft is characterized by impersonal, secondary, contractual, and rationalize relationship.
 Rational Will – characterized by forethought and deliberation.
 Durkheim designate this as organic solidarity. It is a form of social cohesion that arises when the people
in a society are interdependent, but hold to varying values and beliefs and engage in varying types of
work. Organic solidarity most commonly occurs in industrialized, complex societies such those in large
American cities like New York in the 2000s.

This module is an intellectual property of the University of the Cordilleras Senior High School. Unauthorized reproduction, modification, distribution, display or transmission in any form,
medium and manner of any of the contents of the modules (digital or printed) for whatever purpose is strictly prohibited.
 Community Engagement, Solidarity and Citizenship
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Name:
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

S.Y. 2020-2021 Second Trimester Grade Level/Section:

MODULE 1 – CESC Subject Teacher:

 Urban Communities – are cities or big towns where there is a large, high dense, and heterogeneous
population. The economic system is industrial and/or administrative in nature.
Scope of Structures of Communities
1. Local Community – example: village, barangay, town, city, municipality, province, region
2. Global Community – characterized the interconnectivity of people or countries all over the world.
2. Institutionalism
Social Institution - a group of people assigned to perform a definite task and function in a social system.
 Institutions are social structures that have attained a high degree of resilience. They are composed of cultural-
cognitive, normative, and regulative elements that together with associated activities and resources, provide
stability and meaning to social life.
 Institutions increase the predictability of the decision-making situation by setting rules that govern the players,
allowable actions and strategies, authorized results and linkages among decisions (Heywood, 2000).

Two Types of Institutions

Institutions consist of formal rules and informal constrains. Definition of their distinction as follows:
Formal Institutions Informal Institutions
Formal institutions are openly codified, in the sense that Informal institutions are socially shared rules, usually
they are established and communicated through channels unwritten, that are created, communicated, and enforced
that are widely accepted as official. This refers to those outside of officially sanctioned channels’. Informal
officially established often by the government. They’re institutions are equally known but not laid down in writing
legally introduced and enforced by the state. and they tend to be more persistent than formal rules.

Formal institutions are those officially established in one Informal institutions are not officially established, but
way or another, often by governments. practices commonly accepted throughout society.
Laws, Constitutions, Government Beliefs, Norms, Values

3. Civil Society Perspective

Civil Society- conventionally refers to the political community of organized group operating within the authoritative
parameters of the state. It is an aggregate of active groups and associations such as business, interest groups and clubs. It
has been referred to as the third sector distinctive from the state (government) and the market (businesses).
Kinds of Civil Society Organizations
1. Non-Government Organizations – the Philippine National Economic Development Authority (NEDA)
describes NGOs as private, non-profit, volunteer organizations that are committed to the task of what is broadly
termed development.
2. People’s Organizations – POs are independent, autonomous entities, officially registered and acknowledged as
organizations according to rules and standards set by the state. Significant features of POs is that it claims to
represent impoverished, vulnerable, and marginalized communities.
3. Social Movements – is a form of collective behavior which springs largely from the attitudes and aspirations of
its participants. Social Movements confront with specific power structures and pursuit socioeconomic and
political change.
3. Organic Perspective
- It refers to local or grassroots groups within a particular locale that are driven and organized because of community
issues and concerns. They are referred to as “grassroots” because of their local and capacity-building characteristics. It is
generally conceptualized as the formation of neighborhood organizations, rural or urban, convened to pursue local
development goals or address particular issues.

III. ACTIVITY (WRITTEN WORK 1 – 25 points)

a. What does the word community mean for you? Choose FIVE WORDS that captures how you would define community
and briefly explain why you have chosen this word. (1 point per word, 2 points per explanation) 15 points
This module is an intellectual property of the University of the Cordilleras Senior High School. Unauthorized reproduction, modification, distribution, display or transmission in any form,
medium and manner of any of the contents of the modules (digital or printed) for whatever purpose is strictly prohibited.
 Community Engagement, Solidarity and Citizenship
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Name:
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

S.Y. 2020-2021 Second Trimester Grade Level/Section:

MODULE 1 – CESC Subject Teacher:

1. ______________ - ______________________________________________________________________________

2. ______________ - ______________________________________________________________________________

3. ______________ - ______________________________________________________________________________

4. ______________ - ______________________________________________________________________________

5. ______________ - ______________________________________________________________________________

b. What are some notable characteristics of your own community/barangay? Cite these characteristics in terms of the
following concepts we have discussed in this module and complete the table below. One to two sentences will suffice. (2
points each; 10 points)
CONCEPTS NOTABLE CHARACTERISTICS

Sense of Community

Social Structure

Cultural Structure

Political Structure

Economic Structure

IV. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

YouTube Video: What does Community Mean to you?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv7T23P9oS8
YouTube Video: What is Community?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BDd4GpkGj0

IV. REFERENCE

Abenir, M. (2017) Community Engagement, Solidarity, and Citizenship. Makati City: Diwa Learning
System Inc.

Taguibao, J. (2017) Community Engagement, Solidarity, and Citizenship. Quezon City: Vibal Group
Inc.

This module is an intellectual property of the University of the Cordilleras Senior High School. Unauthorized reproduction, modification, distribution, display or transmission in any form,
medium and manner of any of the contents of the modules (digital or printed) for whatever purpose is strictly prohibited.