Concept
A community of place or place-based community is a community of people who are bound together because of where they reside, work, visit or otherwise spend a continuous portion of their time. Such a community can be a neighborhood, town, coffeehouse, workplace, gathering place, public space or any other geographically specific place that a number of people share, have in common or visit frequently. A community offers many appealing features of a broader social relationship: Safety, familiarity, support and loyalties as well as appreciation. Appreciation that is founded on efforts and contribution to the community, rather than the efforts, rank or status of an individual. Advances in technology, transportation and communication have evolved the concept of place and the limits society once had in interactions with one another. With these advances, barriers have been lifted and distance is no longer such a great factor in anchoring the flow of people, goods or information. When identifying what it is that makes a community, it is important to break it down and understand the components that sociologist have found that creates solidarity between the community and its members. German Sociologist and Philosopher Ferdinand Tönnies spoke of these components as evolutionary terms in his theoretical essay Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft (translated to Community and Society). Gemeinschaft would represent the childhood of humanity whereas Gesellschaft would represent the maturity of humanity. Gemeinschaft or community is smaller in number of members; its members usually share a common way of life (occupation/daily activities), common beliefs. Members have frequent interaction with one another as well as a tie of emotional bonds and distance from centers of power. Gesellschaft or society is much larger in terms of its members. Contrary to Gemeinschaft, members do not share the same ways of life or beliefs. Members rarely interact with one another and have loose connections to each other.