Term Definitions

Sorry this is so late. Did not know we were suppose to post our terms on the blog. These term are theories I am exploring for my dissertation. Will go back and revise and add to this blog post as I continue to define the terms.


Community
Capra, F. (1994). Ecology and Community. Center for Ecoliteracy
According to Capra a community is a pattern of interconnected networks or relationships. There are networks within networks that are also within communities. Capra uses the building blocks of organisms (organs, cells, etc.) to demonstrate how several systems of network patterns work together to form a community. According to cybernetics a community can self-regulate and learn from its mistakes through feedback loops . We need cooperation, partnership, relationships and interdependence for self-regulation. Cooperation is more important to self-regulation that competition. Self-regulation does not occur in a linear detached system, but instead of system of interdependent relationships, network patterns, feedback loops, and cooperation (Capra).

Brint, S. (2001). Gemeinschaft Revisited: A Critique and Reconstruction of the Community Concept. Sociological Theory, 19 (1), pp. 1-23.
Brint argues that a community does not have to be defined by shared values but individuals could be linked by affect, loyalty, personal concern, or by economic and political networks. Within an integrated or desegregated school context in what ways is an individual student linked to individuals or other communities to gain access to college? According to Brint these linkages could occur in a variety of ways. A student could be make the linkage for economic reasons, because the person has personal concern for them, because of the political/power connections of the linkage, etc. Thus the individual student could have a variety of networks within their surrounding community for a variety of reasons and purposes.
Brint structures a community in the following levels:
1. The ultimate context of interaction (divided by choice based or geographic based interactions)
2. The primary motivation for interaction
3. Rates of interaction
I believe the school community networks that a student uses to gain access to college cannot just be divided into either "choice based" or geographic based" networks or virtual, place bound, elective, or imagined communities (Brint).

Thin, N. (2002). Social Progress and Sustainable Development. Bloomfield, CT. Kumarian Press.
Thin describes the word community as "a strongly value-laden term used to describe good social relations and shared identity and interests (p. 53)." Community is made of more than just people with shared values. A community is a healthy, sustainable, system with "quality social relationships, participation in decision-making, communication, and about the extent to which increased participation and empowerment constitute improvements in the quality of life or are means for bringing about improvements (Thin, p. 59)."

Resiliency
Capra, F. (1994). Ecology and Community. Center for Ecoliteracy
Communities are also able to self-regulate and respond to disturbances through resiliency through diverse linkages, or many approaches to the same problem.

Social Capital
An asset. People who do better are better connected. Better connected people enjoy higher returns.
Lin, N. (2000). Inequality in Social Capital. Contemporary Sociology, 29, (6), pp. 785-795.
Groups may have similar types and levels of social capital, but the capital may produce different returns for each group. Lin coins this phenomena return deficit. Even though two groups have the same level of capital, one group may receive different returns in status attainment (prestige, earnings, positions in organizations) than the other. This deficit can manifest as differential opportunities where the social structure or institution differentially distributes opportunities for members of social groups. The deficit can also manifest as differential investment, where investment in one group is preferred over investment in the other.

Pragmatism
Habermas
The act of individuals coming together to reach and understanding through communication and shared meaning.
Shields, P. (2003). The community of inquiry: classical pragmatism and public administration. Administration and Society.
Shield defines community of inquiry (a form of pragmatism) where a community of individuals is brought together or linked through the following: problematic situation, scientific attitude, and participatory democracy. Individuals come together to share a variety of ideas surrounding a problem and takes a scientific approach to reflection (critical optimism). According to Dewey (as referenced by Shields) the key to a successful community is togetherness and cooperative efforts to seek the common good in a democratic way.