What is a "Community"?

As communities based on proximate and personal relationships decline, the application of term "community" multiplies. Anand Giridharadas looks at the hijacking of the word and what its new applications say about our contemporary culture.

1 minute read

September 21, 2013, 5:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj

As one of the most-used terms in the planner's lexicon, and one that has its historic home in place-based definitions, the changing applications of the term "community" are significant for our profession and our communication.

"'Community' has become one of those words that should always have quotation marks around it," says Giridharadas. "Words get hijacked all the time, but this is one of those really violent, eight-country, stop-for-refueling hijackings."

"Place and shared experiences have fallen away from the modern understanding of 'community,'" he continues. "When people speak of the 'medical community' or the 'venture capital community,' they’re really describing people with common interests and not common values, history or memory. Community in this sense is less about having one another’s back, more about lobbying for the same things."

FULL STORY: Draining the Life From 'Community'

Friday, September 20, 2013 in The New York Times

Social / Demographics North America Semantics Community Communication

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.