Aha,
Here we go! This is my new post, the first blog that I have written in English. Actually I have another blog that I dedicated only for poems, but it is in Bahasa, the indonesian language.
The first thing that comes up what to write is the idea about 'community'. This word surely is not a new word for us, who is day-to-day living and learning and working in community development. A word that we-just-know-it but often not easy to define.
We know that the meaning is always changing. From traditional perspective in to more flexible, the post-modernism perspective. The term of community is not bound only in fix description such as geographical location, structure and social capital but it is more "complex, unstable, contextual, uncertain and is always conceptually and practically contested and contestable" (Burkett 2001: 4)". From Burkett's point of view about community, "it is a verb rather than a noun, a continually process for action and change rather than a fix description".
I agree that rather than looking what is the essence of the community, I should look about how the community exist in a creative manner. They exist in a varied way and can create change in the society. For example, many people using facebook page for promoting social change and making their own community network. There is no geographical boundaries nor definete structure but they become so committed in particular issue that they share same passion.
This is my starting point in trying to bring my community in existence. I am creating a community that longing for peace, especially in Indonesia, while I still stay here in Brisbane. A community of dialogues between people from different spirituality that share same land and life in Indonesia. Little bit uncertain and always contesting on how to build it, but so excited to start it among friends here.
So,what do you think of community? How it might different with your view?
Reference:
Burkett, I. (2001). Traversing the swampy terrain of postmodern communities: towards theoritical revisioning of community development. European Journal of Social Work 4 (3). 1-12
About Me
- ferdyfabian
- Taringa, Queensland, Australia
- I am Postgraduate student in Master of Development Practice, Univ. Of Queensland. I have been working in several humanitarian organisations and very happy to have great discussion regarding community development and peacebuilding issues.
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6 comments:
Testing comments!
Ferdy, well done for a start :D let me put it in different way. for me, community means going to the same direction. If you share the same goal, you could be one. You just create one and you invite anybody who has the same direction. Count me in..
Finally!!! I've been waiting for ages that you start writing your blog! Hahaha.
I agree, Bro. Community is indeed a fluid definition. It's just that sometimes, that sort of understanding only exist in the mind of students who studied CD. Not really in the mind of ordinary community member, as what I experienced very recently.
Good luck with your initiative! You know, i'll be happy to join your discussion/focus groups/dialogues, whatever format you wanna use.
Happy Easter, my friend!
Cheers,
Andri
Terrific - a great start. I love that you are wrestling with the broader context for the work you are undertaking. I look forward to seeing how others in engage with you in this.
Thanks for dropping by friends!
@Irene: Yea, that's what I'm struggling for.
@Andri: I don't like writing journal thingy. If this blog tell me to do the poems, I will be so happy :).
@Linda: It take courage to gather my friend to see my writings about them.
You did a great job mate. I love the way you conducted the interfaith discussion, a great way to see something from inside.
Community for me, personally, is a place where conflict and struggle being created, it is also a place where members of community defining the resolution and answer for it. It is a place where people share the idea, connected one to another, share what so called "love", and grow up as organic human. Where the freedom of choice, trust, participation and self actualization should be the foundation of community itself.
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