AndreaCalderon

HD364CommunityasaContextforDevelopment
Assignment:ReadingResponsetoBetterTogether
May9,2015

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1) Whatwasyourunderstandingofcommunitybeforereadingthisbookandwhat
areyourthoughtsoncommunitynow?
MyunderstandingofcommunitybeforereadingthebookBetterTogetherwasthat
communityisaunitofindividualsthatarethereforoneanother,peoplewhoareofall
differentages,socioeconomicstatus,religion,backgroundcanformacommunity.Isee
acommunityasagroupofindividualscomingtogetherforonesolepurposeandthatisto
buildlonglastingrelationshipswithoneanother.Ialsobelievethattherearedifferent
typesofcommunitiessuchas:theworkplace,school,religiousgroups,sportsteams,and
individualsthatsharecommoninterestsorhobbies.
AcommonthemeinthebookBetterTogetheriskinshipandcommunity.They
accomplishedthisbymakingconnectionsamongpeople,communicating,discussing
issues,establishingbondsoftrustandunderstanding,wantingtogrowtogetherinorder
tobuildasuccessfulcommunity.ThebookdescribesitascreatingSocialcapital,I
foundthisinterestingbecauseIhaveneverheardofitbefore.Socialcapitalisdeveloping
networksofrelationshipsthatweaveindividualsintogroupsandcommunities.Social
capitalreferstosocialnetworks,normsofreciprocity,mutualassistance,and
trustworthiness(p.5).MythoughtoncommunityhasslightlychangedbecauseInow
incorporatetheimportanceofSocialcapital.Inallthecasesinthebook,social
connectednesswasabyproductofworkingtowardsomespecificgoalorobjectivethat
wouldbettertheircommunity.Noneofthecasethecasesdiscussedinthebookdidthe

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peoplesetouttobuildsocialcapital.Theyallfocusedonstrengtheningsocialnetworks
askeyinachievingtheirgoal.(p.10)
2) Whatstoodoutforyouinthisbook?
Afewthingsstoodouttomefromthisbook.Idoenjoythedifferentcasestudiesthat
werepresented.Itshowedthedifferenttypesofcommunities,howtheycametogether,
andsocialcapital.Itshowedhowpeoplecametogetherandhowimportantitwasfor
individualstotrusteachotherandhaveopencommunication.Thechaptersinthebook
showedhoweachcasehadaplan/goalforthemtocometogetherforagreaterpurpose.
Therearesmallstepsthathadtobetakeninorderforthesecommunitiestogrowand
continuetogrowandprosperinthefuture.Ithinkthisbookwasaninstructionmanualon
howtobuildaneffectivecommunity.
AnexampleinthebookIfoundinterestingwasSaddleback(p.119).Whichwasa
churchinLakeForest,Californiathathadfortyfivethousandsofcongregants.This
churchkeptgrowinginsize.Theauthorstatesthatreligiouscommunitiesaretoday,as
Americaspast,veryimportantrepositoriesofsocialcapital(p.120).Healsostatedthat
theattendanceinchurchdeclinedwhereastheSaddlebackChurchkeptexpanding.Ithad
todowiththewaytheworshipcenterwasconductingeverythingandtheirstatement.It
statesOurPurpose:Magnification,Membership,Maturity,Ministry,Mission.The
churchwasmuchmoreappealingthanatraditionalchurch.Theyhadaconcertstage,
TVs,cameras,andvideoscreens(p.121).Theapproachforthischurchwasvery
moderninordertocapturetheaudienceintended.ThepastorRickWarrensurveyed

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peopleintheareatoseewhattheywantedinachurch,andheimplementedhisfindings;
whichmadepeoplewanttocometothechurch.Thischurchbegantodevelopasa
community.Theyhadsmallgroups,peoplefeltconfortablewiththosearoundthemthey
talked,visitedeachother,spentqualitytimetogether,anddiscussionsaboutrelationships
(p.126).Thatiswhatacommunityis.Thisdisplayedagroupofindividualsgetting
togetherandsocializingwhichresultedinbuildingrelationships.
3) Whatcommunitiesdoyoubelongto?Howwouldyoucategorizethemusingthe
termsdiscussedinthebook?
OneofthecommunitiesIbelongtoismyworkplace.Iworkwithfourotherwomen
includingmysupervisor.Wehaveweeklystaffmeetingswherewediscusskeyissues,
ourperformance,thingswewouldliketoimprove,andsetaplanforthenextweek.We
arehonestwithoneanotherandhavedevelopedaclosebond.Ourobjectiveistomake
sureourclientsaresatisfiedwiththeserviceweprovidethem.Weallworkwithone
anotherandunderstandthedifferentwaystheotherpersonpreformstheirduties.
Everyonehasauniquestyleandwerespecteachother.Ibelievewehaveagood
communitybecauseitwasformedwithopencommunication,trust,andhonesty.

Bibliography
Putnam RD, Feldstein L, Cohen D. Better Together: Restoring the
American
Community. New York: Simon & Schuster; 2003.