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Handbook of Community Movements and Local Organizations pp 179–192Cite as

Sense of Community and Community Building

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Part of the book series: Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research ((HSSR))

Abstract

Improving the quality of life through the strengthening of the social fabric of relations is an important goal for practitioners and scientists addressing all social issues whether it be for prevention, intervention, treatment, or broad social change agendas. The social and medical sciences offer a wide range of terms for that feeling of connection among people and the benefits (and costs) that come from resulting behaviors whether it be called social capital, social support, neighborhood cohesion, place attachment, or sense of community; that feeling of connectedness with others, the feeling that we are a part of community, is one of the most basic human needs. Community is the human ecology. We use the term “sense of community” to describe that perception of belonging that makes us feel good and safe. The other terms, cohesion and attachment, are variations on this same basic human experience. Social capital and social support reflect the relationships that are part of a community.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Association for the Study and Development of Community, Gaithersburg

    Mary Hyde & David Chavis

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  1. Mary Hyde
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  2. David Chavis
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Policy & Practice, University of Pennsylvania, 3701 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Ram A. Cnaan

  2. Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, 17837, USA

    Carl Milofsky

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Hyde, M., Chavis, D. (2008). Sense of Community and Community Building. In: Cnaan, R.A., Milofsky, C. (eds) Handbook of Community Movements and Local Organizations. Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-32933-8_12

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