Role Of Community Organizations Research Articles

The Role of Community Organisations as Interest Groups in Palu City: A Case Study of Alkhairaat Organisation

The study analyses the role of the Alkhairaat Community Organisation (Ormas) as an interest group in Palu City, Central Sulawesi Province. As an interest group, Alkhairaat can impact regional and national political policy formation. This articulates society’s needs with the limited ability of political parties due to differences in ideology, beliefs, and goals. This study is based on the concept of interest groups by Gabriel Almond in 2004. This research uses qualitative research methods. The study was conducted in Palu City, Central Sulawesi Province. Data was collected through interview techniques determined by purposive sampling, besides conducting participant and direct observation. The secondary data is in books, journals, reports and other documents. The results showed that Alkhairaat had a role in policy formulation through the involvement of Abnaul Khairaat, who served as a member of the Indonesian Parliament and Regional Heads representing the Sejahterah Justice Party (PKS), Golkar and Democrat. The study concluded that Alkhairaat has a role in policy formulation, both regional and national policies. The position of interest groups in the political system lies between the government and the people. In fact, with interest groups like Alkhairaat, the government must create a space as big as it is and place it precisely because it has helped the government articulate the community's wishes.

Up the Hill: The Familial-institutional Reproduction of the Black Upper-middle Class

This article explores the distinct social reproductive practices of the Black upper-middle class. In particular, this study focuses on the role of community organizations in socializing the collective habitus of a community at the intersection of Blackness and class privilege. I draw on interview data from members of one Black upper-middle class organization, Jack and Jill of America Inc., to identify how families and institutions collaborate to socialize children into a particular raced-classed habitus, passing on ideologies, discursive habits, and behavioral strategies aimed at producing citizens who are both culturally empathetic and socioeconomically mobile. I find that mothers rely on the blurred boundaries between family and social organizations to legitimate and reinforce the lessons taught at home. In particular, mothers explicitly socialize identity and affinity within a racial community while simultaneously socializing implicit, but powerful, behavioral habits related to social class.

Health-Seeking Behavior of Rural Ethnic Women in Bangladesh: A critical analysis through intersectional lens

The paper aims to investigate the health seeking behavior of rural ethnic women in Bangladesh through the lens of intersectionality. The paper sheds light on the healthcare seeking behavior of rural ethnic women by exploring the barriers of their healthcare accessibility, role of community organizations and traditional healers in shaping health seeking behavior, analyzing the impact of education, health literacy and healthcare awareness, and evaluating the role of family and community level power imbalance over the health seeking behavior of rural ethnic women. The study is based on both primary and secondary data. The findings of the paper highlight that various social and cultural factors, including gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic status, intersected to influence health seeking behavior among rural ethnic women in Bangladesh. Access to healthcare was found to be limited due to a lack of resources, transportation, and information. The paper argues that Community organizations and traditional healers played a minimal yet important role in shaping health seeking behavior, while the existing power imbalance in the family and community level has been found to be associated with health seeking behavior. The paper concludes the importance of addressing the multiple and intersecting factors that shape health seeking behavior among rural ethnic women in Bangladesh.

The Role of Community Organisations in the Collective Mobilisation of Migrant Workers: The Importance of a ‘Community’-Oriented Perspective

In examining the collective mobilisation of migrant workers, scholars have explored the emergence of community organisations as alternative forms of worker representation. However, community unionism scholars tend to adopt a union-centric perspective, which leaves unexplored the complex nature of community organisations. We argue that it is important to adopt a ‘community’-oriented perspective. Such a perspective allows us to explore varied capacity for collective actions and different forms of identity framing across community organisations. We argue that these can affect the union–community relationship and organising outcomes. By comparing ethnographic case studies of the role of two community organisations vis-a-vis the collective mobilisation of migrant workers, we conclude that community organisations which focus on participatory internal relations, and which frame collective identities (including class) in an intersectional way, are more likely to have reciprocal relationships with trade unions and contribute to collective mobilisation.

When Government Is Not the Solution: The Role of Community Organizations in Outreach

Trust between government entities and the public is critical; without it, communities become paralyzed in their ability to act collectively and for the greater good. Establishing and maintaining this trust, however, can be difficult. The outreach and coproduction performed by the coalition of organizations described in this article provide examples of how to address several interrelated problems of public distrust in the government. When viewed in their proper light, these examples enrich the theoretical understanding of contract failure theory. Rather than take advantage of their advantages in power, governments increasingly leverage the power of reciprocity to accomplish their goals by relying on preexisting community trust in nonprofits. Self-interest well understood is a critical component of this reciprocal relationship: it works best when government secures resources, funding, and access to policy processes, in return for nonprofit resources such as service delivery, political support, buy-in, and legitimacy. In this indirect way, nonprofit coproduction can help to foster perceptions of legitimacy and trust in government.

Resilience and coping strategies of older adults in Hong Kong during COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed methods study

BackgroundDespite the adverse physical health impact of COVID-19 on older adults, whether they are psychosocially vulnerable under the pandemic remains debatable. In this mixed methods study, we examined the psychosocial vulnerability of older adults relative to their younger counterparts and explored how they coped with the pandemic.MethodsFrom September to October 2020, 1067 adults in Hong Kong were randomly sampled and completed a telephone survey, whereas 10 older adults were recruited for individual interviews between September 2020 and April 2021. Quantitative measurements included subjective well-being, worries about COVID-19, and changes in social capital and social interaction since the pandemic. The transcribed qualitative data were closely read and summarized using thematic analyses.ResultsCompared with younger adults, older adults tended to be less worried about COVID-19 infection and economic activity/livelihood, despite being slightly more worried about supplies of personal protective equipment. They also had better subjective well-being in terms of happiness and life satisfaction, with their social capital and social interaction less affected. In addition, five themes emerged from the qualitative interviews: (1) life philosophy; (2) economic security; (3) telecommunication; (4) role of community organizations and social workers; and (5) positive coping strategies.ConclusionsOlder adults in this study showed better psychosocial well-being than their younger counterparts under the COVID-19 pandemic, which challenged the deeply rooted societal stereotype about the vulnerability of older adults. The stronger resilience for positive coping, technological assistance, and targeted government and community support may have protected older adults from distress during the pandemic.

Niche and interspecific associations of Pseudoanabaena limnetica – Exploring the influencing factors of its succession stage

In aquatic ecosystems, the dynamics of ecological parameters play an important role in community organization. To understand the changes in the phytoplankton community structure in karstic reservoirs, the Hongfeng reservoir in Guizhou plateau was monitored monthly from 2016 to 2019. The results showed that the dominant organisms in phytoplankton comprised five phyla and twelve species during 4 years, among which the proportion of abundance of Pseudoanabaena limnetica begin to rise in 2018 and reached 46.57% in 2019 (the highest during the study period). The niche breadth (0.259–0.925) and overlap value (0–0.991) of P. limnetica have an obvious seasonal trend and are significantly affected by environmental factors such as water temperature, nutrients, and interspecific competition. This is primarily reflected in the high adaptability of the dominant species to changes in the N:P concentration ratio in water. Variance Partitioning Analysis (VPN) results show that the diffusion degree of P. limnetica is the result of the interaction between internal (i.e. interspecific competition, with a contribution rate of 13.4%) and external (i.e. environmental factors, with a contribution rate of 86.6%). The greater the external influence, the higher the diffusion degree. The results of niche-based theories and neutral-based theories showed that the stable community structure (variance rate (VR > 1)) and the excessive fast diffusion rate of dominant species (migration rate (m = 0.84)) may lead to the risk of P. limnetica and other toxic filamentous cyanobacteria blooms. The results provide basic data for the study of early warnings regarding phytoplankton community succession and cyanobacteria blooms in large reservoirs in the karst areas.

In situ urbanization-driven industrial activities: the Pringapus enclave on the rural-urban fringe of Semarang Metropolitan Region, Indonesia

ABSTRACT This study observed the dynamics of the local communities’ spatial patterns and socio-economic conditions in the Pringapus enclave industrial area, a rural-urban fringe of the Semarang Metropolitan Region (SMR). It applied a quantitative approach through descriptive statistical analyses of a questionnaire for 120 respondents and satellite image analyses using the Geographic Information System (GIS). The results showed that the urbanization was in situ, causing spatial and socio-economic impacts. Despite the worrying indications of declining environmental quality that can threaten sustainable development, the local people benefitted from the urbanization process. Excellent interaction between the local community and migrants was unique to the study area's enclave location, allowing skills to be transferred, which made the locals more resilient to urbanization. In this regard, this study recommends the local government strengthen new community organizations’ role to optimize the mutually beneficial relationship between locals and migrants. HIGHLIGHTS In situ urbanization in enclaved areas causes changes in land use, economic, and social and environmental conditions. In situ urbanization in the case study has caused unusual yet positive interactions between the migrants and the locals. The transfer of knowledge in this enclave area made the locals more resilient to urbanization. The beneficial relationships between the locals and the migrants should be optimized by strengthening the role of community organizations.

The Role of Community Organizations for Place Design in Bali Aga Pengotan’s Vernacular Settlements

The Balinese Aga Pengotan community’s vernacular settlements were built by their ancestors to accommodate daily activities and ritual activities. The Pengotan community undergoes religious activities as part of their daily life, even placing religious ritual activities above everything. The Pengotan community has many ritual agendas and must be attended by all members of the community. The temple is prepared as a place to accommodate ritual ceremonies. A temple as a holy place is a collection of buildings connected by open spaces. The making of holy places is possible to happen because of the involvement of holy people in the ritual organization. This paper discusses the relationship between community organizations to maintain the continuity of the place as a place for ritual ceremonies. This behaviour research uses descriptive exploratory methods with the Observing Physical Trace (OPT) and Observing Environmental Behaviour (OEB) methods. The results show that the holy place was created and maintained for its sustainability by holy people in which the marriage institution was used by the ancestors as the guardian of the place sustainability. Through marriage, a ritual organization is formed to prepare, carry out, and supervise the course of the ritual. Keywords: Bali Aga, vernacular settlement, place, community organization, ritual. DOI: 10.7176/ADS/87-05 Publication date: November 30th 2020

Antisemitism on Twitter: Collective Efficacy and the Role of Community Organisations in Challenging Online Hate Speech

In this article, we conduct a comprehensive study of online antagonistic content related to Jewish identity posted on Twitter between October 2015 and October 2016 by UK-based users. We trained a scalable supervised machine learning classifier to identify antisemitic content to reveal patterns of online antisemitism perpetration at the source. We built statistical models to analyze the inhibiting and enabling factors of the size (number of retweets) and survival (duration of retweets) of information flows in addition to the production of online antagonistic content. Despite observing high temporal variability, we found that only a small proportion (0.7%) of the content was antagonistic. We also found that antagonistic content was less likely to disseminate in size or survive for a longer period. Information flows from antisemitic agents on Twitter gained less traction, while information flows emanating from capable and willing counter-speech actors—that is, Jewish organizations—had a significantly higher size and survival rates. This study is the first to demonstrate that Sampson’s classic sociological concept of collective efficacy can be observed on social media (SM). Our findings suggest that when organizations aiming to counter harmful narratives become active on SM platforms, their messages propagate further and achieve greater longevity than antagonistic messages. On SM, counter-speech posted by credible, capable and willing actors can be an effective measure to prevent harmful narratives. Based on our findings, we underline the value of the work by community organizations in reducing the propagation of cyberhate and increasing trust in SM platforms.

Professionals’ Perceptions of Food Insecurity Among Their Low-Income Clients

This research examines the awareness of social service professionals of the food security of low-income families in a community-based savings program. Based on survey data of 65 community agencies in seven states that offer the Individual Development Account (IDA) program, the study investigates program providers’ awareness of the food security of IDA program participants. Second, this study presents IDA program provider activities to alleviate food insecurity and summarizes their opinions about how food insecurity could be prevented among their program families. Results show that providers were aware that families did not have enough of the kinds of food they want to eat. This perception was most strongly related to IDA programs with longer durations. Program families’ reports of their children’s food insecurity aligned well with the extent of food hardship reported by the program providers. Access to food and nutritional wellness services was considered most relevant for alleviating food insecurity. Financial security, access to community resources, and direct access to food and family support networks were considered important factors for protecting families from the threat of hunger. Research is needed to identify the role of community organizations that do not provide nutrition assistance for helping low-income families overcome food hardship.

Engaging and Empowering Community Resource Organizations (CROs) Before, During, and After Disasters

The role of community organizations before, during and after a crisis. Working collaborating with these groups before a disasters can increase community resilience.

Community organizations and mental health after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings

ObjectiveDisasters are place-based traumatic events, yet contemporary understandings of disaster recovery often do not consider the role of community organizations. We examine organization type and proximity as they relate to post-disaster mental health in a longitudinal study following the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. MethodResidents of metropolitan Boston (N = 846) were recruited via a probability-based sampling strategy within weeks of the bombings and were surveyed several times over a two-year period. Residents of metropolitan New York (N = 941) were recruited and surveyed at the same time and used for comparison due to similarities in community demographics, geography, and disaster histories. We identified six different organization types nearby resident: safety-based organizations, religious organizations, educational organizations, child- and family-promoting organizations, health-based organizations, and voluntary community organizations. With possible environmental detriments (crowds and noise) or benefits of organizations amplified in areas closest to the resident, the concentration of these local organization types was examined at different distance-based boundaries. Contextual data for both communities came from the U.S. Census, Google Places API, and Guidestar. ResultsFor Boston metropolitan area residents, having more safety-based organizations within a half-mile to one-mile area in the aftermath of the bombings was associated with poorer functioning six to seven months later and greater psychological distress two years later. However, the presence of more safety-based organizations in the one to three mile area was associated with decreased psychological distress two years later. More health-based and voluntary community organizations in the half-mile to one-mile area were also associated with fewer fears and worries about future adversity two years post-bombing. Exposure to the bombings and other community traumas moderated this relationship among Boston area participants. ConclusionResults suggest that local community organizations are not merely buildings or structures but ecological sources of support to those in need after a disaster.

Looking to China and Back

Against the background of the rise of ‘diaspora institutions’ since the early 2000s, this commentary reflects on China’s diaspora engagement and India’s interest in it in the context of its own institutionalisation of diaspora engagement since the early 2000s. It argues that notwithstanding historical and political differences, some lessons could be learned from China. These pertain to the importance of recognising the various segments of the diaspora; the role of community organisations; the centrality of diaspora research; and the connection between diaspora policies and shifting national priorities. However, both in China and in India, some principal limits remain in terms of diaspora engagement due to the prioritising of the socio-economically advantaged; the tension among cultural, ethnic and territorial understandings of the nation; and because political inclusion lags behind the focus on economic and knowledge contributions. These limits lead us to reconsider some of the shared ideas, assumptions and practices behind the rise of ‘diaspora institutions’ in a broader sense.

Quantifying keystone species complexes: Ecosystem-based conservation management in the King George Island (Antarctic Peninsula)

A keystone species complex (KSC) is a small set of interacting species that play an outstandingly important role in community organization. Two KSC indices are suggested and have been calculated in the coastal benthic/pelagic ecosystem of Fildes Bay, King George Island (Antarctica). These indices of keystoneness emerge after considering: (1) functional indices based on steady-state and dynamic quantitative trophic models (using bottom-up, mixed and top-down control flow mechanisms); (2) structural indices including bottom-up and top-down control mechanisms, (3) semi-quantitative (qualitative) keystone indices using loop analysis (under mixed control); and (4) topological key player indices based on the centrality of node sets in the network. The models constructed and analyzed describe the interactions of the most abundant species and functional groups inhabiting the coastal ecological systems of Fildes Bay. Although our results only represent the transient dynamics of these ecological systems, the KSC indices identified the following trophically connected common core of components: the functional groups of Seastars (top-predators), the herbivorous sea urchin species Sterechinus neumayeri and the Phytoplankton (primary producers). The KSC indices for Fildes Bay could facilitate the design and assessment of conservation monitoring, especially when the Antarctic ecosystems are being severely stressed by the direct effects of global warming and UV radiation. A more holistic view of conservation remains difficult because the traditional view is based principally on single species. This imposes an even greater challenge, for global changes accompany the network of interacting species, co-varying with the variables of the natural system.

The Role of Community Organizations in the Process of Urban Community Revitalization: Focusing on the Council of Residents’ Representatives of Apartment Community

The Role of Community Organizations in the Process of Urban Community Revitalization: Focusing on the Council of Residents’ Representatives of Apartment Community

Mongolian Racerunners (Eremias argus) Occupancy in Active and Inactive Siberian Marmot (Marmota sibirica) Colonies

Habitat fragmentation caused by anthropogenic activities alters the distribution, abundance and diversity of wildlife species worldwide. As one example, Siberian marmots have experienced a >75% decline across Mongolia since the 1990s due to human harvests. Burrowing mammals are keystone; ecosystem engineers in many communities because burrowing can directly and indirectly alter the availability of resources, have effects at multiple spatial and temporal scales, and have a significant role in community organization. The deep and complex burrow systems of marmots provide underground shelters with stable microclimates that other vertebrate and invertebrate animals exploit. Our general hypothesis was that marmot colonies positively influence racerunner occupancy probability because burrows offer shelter from environmental conditions, refuges for predation, and a high diversity and number of insects and other prey items. Using occupancy modeling, we showed that the presence of a Siberian marmot colony influenced racerunner occupancy. Marmot active colony + inactive colony- ψ (AMC+IMC), p (temp+temp2) were the best approximating model. Racerunner detection was highest at approximately 24.3°C. For the aspect and elevation model, foothills had an important influence on lizard occupancy. Our results showed that marmot burrows greatly influence Mongolian racerunner occurrence and suggest that habitat modification by rodent ecosystem engineers exert ecological influence on biodiversity.

Collective and Organic Farming in Tamil Nadu: Women’s Participation, Empowerment and Food Sovereignty

<p>The aim of this paper is to explore the notion of women’s participation, empowerment and food sovereignty among the marginalized women farmers in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. The women farmers who belong largely to the so-called lower castes have been marginalized due to the persistent presence of the patriarchal structure and the continued oppression and discrimination in a caste-ridden society. This is supported and supplemented by the policies and politics of globalization through the state apparatus. This research, based on the fieldwork method, highlights the hitherto undermined role of women farmers in the wake of their efforts at establishing enhanced and sustainable socio-economic relations in connection with the local agricultural land which accounts for their economic and social independence and sovereignty, especially food sovereignty. The process marking this transformation includes collective and organic farming based on millets leading to the creation of an inherent and integral food sovereignty vis-a-vis the increasing usurpation of agricultural land through the nexus of the state government and private companies. The paper also analyzes the issue of land ownership, litigation cases involving women, and the role of community organizations which impel the hitherto marginalized women towards self-sustainable, self-sufficient and self-governed environment in rural agricultural economy.</p>

The Cultural Adaptation of a Community-Based Child Maltreatment Prevention Initiative.

A unique primary prevention effort, Strong Communities for Children (Strong Communities), focuses on changing attitudes and expectations regarding communities' collective responsibilities for the safety of children. Findings from a 6-year pilot of the initiative in South Carolina have shown promise in reducing child maltreatment, but efforts to adapt the initiative to different cultural contexts have been lacking. No models exist for adapting an initiative that takes a community-level approach to ensuring children's safety. Thus, this article addresses the gap by providing an overview of the original initiative, how the initiative was adapted to the Israeli context, and lessons learned from the experience. Building on conceptualizations of cultural adaptation by Castro etal. (Prevention Science, 5, 2004, 41) and Resnicow etal. (Ethnicity and Disease, 9, 1999, 11), sources of nonfit (i.e., sociodemographic traits, political conflict, government services, and the presence and role of community organizations) were identified and deep and surface structure modifications were made to the content and delivery. Ultimately, this article describes the adaption and dissemination of a community-based child maltreatment prevention initiative in Tel Aviv, Israel, and addresses researchers' calls for more publications describing the adaptation of interventions and the procedures that need to be implemented to achieve cultural relevance.

Leveraging Diversity and Social Capital in U.S. Democracy: Asian American Civic and Political Engagement

Despite its colonial history and accompanying moniker as a “nation of immigrants,” the United States has only recently regained its status as a multicultural nation. In the four-decade period between 1924 and 1965, the United States firmly shut its fabled “golden door” to international migration by systematically prohibiting new entrants from Asia, Latin America, Africa and much of Europe. During that time, its population changed as a result of internal dynamics rather than immigration, and by the time of the Civil Rights Act (1964) and Voting Rights Act (1965), the United States had become a polity described racially as white and black. Nearly a half-century later, and after the reopening of the nation’s borders to foreign migration, the United States is once again visibly a nation of immigrants. More than a third of the population considers itself to be a race other than white, and foreign-born Americans and their second-generation offspring make up more than 20 percent of the U.S. population. How do and how can people with this diverse a set of backgrounds, racial and ethnic identities, languages, and religions get along in politics? This paper considers the question of how racial and ethnic diversity is leveraged in U.S. democracy by highlighting the role of community organizations, political movements, and organized interests in creating social capital among Asian Americans.