In Democracy and the administrative state, Redford reminds us that Open society requires 1. access to information, based on education, open government, free communication, and open discussion, 2. access to forums of decision; 3. ability to open any issue to public discussion; 4.ability to assert one's claims without fear of coercive retaliation; 5.consideration of all claims asserted. It occured to me that although we in the United States live in an open society, several segments of our society are left out of this open situation. Having spent some time with students in an inner-city school and with their families, I have observed that these families feel no connection and no in-roads to the open discussion of issues. As Redford puts it, policies seldom deal with individuals, but I feel that what is lacking is an appeal to the individual's values, lifestyle, etc when trying to move them from apathy to participation. This feeds into one of the main issues I wish to study - community motivation. However, as Redford reminds us, policy does not typically look to personal fulfillment or other psychic pursuits. I particularly enjoyed Redford's example about being able to mandate worship, "but not the quality of spirituality that would emanate(or would not emanate) from it" This is exactly the kind of frustration that I have faced when I present what I think is the perfect motivation to certain segments of Texas Communities to change certain behavior. You can have all the tools avaialble and expend a great deal of time, money, and resources on communicating these tools, but without inherent belief this is a worthwhile excersice, everthing becomes "optional" and unfortunately, does not become an integral part of the community.
Overall, I have enjoyed reading Redford's work and applying his ideas to my overall policy interests approach. More to come as I continue review the work...
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Getting "community" online
After two weeks of working with hurricane victims programs, I am finally able to sit down at a computer. I thought there would be no better time to reflect and share my experiences working with communities that were truly under stress and enduring changes.
In my work in Pharmacy, my ultimate daily goal is to find a way to make sure people can access their prescriptions. Millions of people were affected by the recent hurricanes, and the devastation left many of them relying on others to provide them with the most basic resources like food, water, and shelter. In the scramble to provide these essentials, things like medications were forgotten and left behind. In many cases, paying for these medications had been an enormous burden on the household finances - now the dilemma: how to pay for the same medicine again? How to afford another doctors visit for a new prescription? What about the effects of the hurricane on my physical and mental health? What I have experienced over the past couple of weeks is community building in action, helping individuals answer these questions through the efforts of the entire community.
In the literal sense, hurricane victims have been thrust into new temporary communities (in shelters and other emergency housing). Even beyond their shelter, the larger community was set to embrace it's new members. These communities (the neighborhoods, cities, States that offered them shelter) had a new goal to add to their own vision: how to best care for our new neighbors without unnecssary overexertion of our resources. Ultimately, doctors, pharmacists, and other health professionals have come from all over the Country to evacuee shelters and other areas to care for hurricane victims, while "regular citizens" pulled together to help victims adjust to their new settings. Federal, State, and local governments organized quickly to provide financial assistance for prescription medications and other urgent needs.
We believe we are on solid footing to take good care of the victims of the hurricanes while they are sheltered among us. However, the work must begin now towards rebuilding the communities they left and to test the resiliency of these communities.
I look with hope to the future, to the great things we can accomplish in helping to rebuild the damaged communities.
In my work in Pharmacy, my ultimate daily goal is to find a way to make sure people can access their prescriptions. Millions of people were affected by the recent hurricanes, and the devastation left many of them relying on others to provide them with the most basic resources like food, water, and shelter. In the scramble to provide these essentials, things like medications were forgotten and left behind. In many cases, paying for these medications had been an enormous burden on the household finances - now the dilemma: how to pay for the same medicine again? How to afford another doctors visit for a new prescription? What about the effects of the hurricane on my physical and mental health? What I have experienced over the past couple of weeks is community building in action, helping individuals answer these questions through the efforts of the entire community.
In the literal sense, hurricane victims have been thrust into new temporary communities (in shelters and other emergency housing). Even beyond their shelter, the larger community was set to embrace it's new members. These communities (the neighborhoods, cities, States that offered them shelter) had a new goal to add to their own vision: how to best care for our new neighbors without unnecssary overexertion of our resources. Ultimately, doctors, pharmacists, and other health professionals have come from all over the Country to evacuee shelters and other areas to care for hurricane victims, while "regular citizens" pulled together to help victims adjust to their new settings. Federal, State, and local governments organized quickly to provide financial assistance for prescription medications and other urgent needs.
We believe we are on solid footing to take good care of the victims of the hurricanes while they are sheltered among us. However, the work must begin now towards rebuilding the communities they left and to test the resiliency of these communities.
I look with hope to the future, to the great things we can accomplish in helping to rebuild the damaged communities.
Working glossary
The following terms are defined with respect to communities and community building
System - a complex convergence of resources, working in tandem toward a common goal. A system can be seen as a "machine" with many working parts that must function. When there is a breakdown in one area, the system can rarely move forward toward realizing the final goal.
Activism - involvement in solving problems or accomplishing goals on behalf of a community or cause. Solving the problems and accomplishing the goals can be seen as the "vision" for community. Activism requires work toward this vision. This work is more than thought or discussion excercises. An activist must develop (or participate in the development of) a plan of action for how the community can fulfill this vision
Sustainability - the ability for an organism to continue at it's current state of wellness or better with little or no outside assistance.
Resilience - Prof Rhodes gave a great definition for resilience in class - "the ability to 'bounce back'" This has serious implications for sustainability. Communities, like individuals, will occasionally suffer setbacks. How they handle these setbacks, and where they land after the dust settles, will be a key indicator for the long-term sustainability of the community. Ultimately, they must be able to "weather the storms" that will come along. The most resiliant communities will be able to return to their level of wellness and continue working towards their vision.
More to come...
System - a complex convergence of resources, working in tandem toward a common goal. A system can be seen as a "machine" with many working parts that must function. When there is a breakdown in one area, the system can rarely move forward toward realizing the final goal.
Activism - involvement in solving problems or accomplishing goals on behalf of a community or cause. Solving the problems and accomplishing the goals can be seen as the "vision" for community. Activism requires work toward this vision. This work is more than thought or discussion excercises. An activist must develop (or participate in the development of) a plan of action for how the community can fulfill this vision
Sustainability - the ability for an organism to continue at it's current state of wellness or better with little or no outside assistance.
Resilience - Prof Rhodes gave a great definition for resilience in class - "the ability to 'bounce back'" This has serious implications for sustainability. Communities, like individuals, will occasionally suffer setbacks. How they handle these setbacks, and where they land after the dust settles, will be a key indicator for the long-term sustainability of the community. Ultimately, they must be able to "weather the storms" that will come along. The most resiliant communities will be able to return to their level of wellness and continue working towards their vision.
Capital - resources at the disposal of the community toward furthering the vision. These can be, as discussed in class, financial, physical, human, natural, social, and more
More to come...
Defining Community
Community can best be defined as a group which shares resources. Whether it is a geographic, demographic, or psychographic “group”, the unifying factor that turns a simple collection of people in to a community is the resources they share.
Conversely, while open sharing can shape the strongest communities, they are also inherently defined by the boundaries beyond which they do not routinely allocate their assets. In seeking to meet the needs of its members, a community must have a clear sense of who “belongs”, or is eligible to benefit from the available resources.
In addition to shared resources, another definition for community is a group of individuals which are brought together by lack of resource(s). A community can often be based on what deficiencies the members jointly seek to fill; a shared sense of insufficiency or injustice can often define a community more than the resources it brings to bear.
While individuals are often very engaged in their communities, some parts of a community can be passive members rather than active participants. This is to say that community is not an exclusively voluntary arrangement and need not be defined as a consciously formed group. Likewise, a community does necessarily have a defined organizational structure or administration. Rules and mores can be unstated yet simply understood by members of the community as they seek to share from the resources available.
Ultimately, a community is a group of people with enough in common that they will enjoy more success by working together than focusing on individual needs.
Conversely, while open sharing can shape the strongest communities, they are also inherently defined by the boundaries beyond which they do not routinely allocate their assets. In seeking to meet the needs of its members, a community must have a clear sense of who “belongs”, or is eligible to benefit from the available resources.
In addition to shared resources, another definition for community is a group of individuals which are brought together by lack of resource(s). A community can often be based on what deficiencies the members jointly seek to fill; a shared sense of insufficiency or injustice can often define a community more than the resources it brings to bear.
While individuals are often very engaged in their communities, some parts of a community can be passive members rather than active participants. This is to say that community is not an exclusively voluntary arrangement and need not be defined as a consciously formed group. Likewise, a community does necessarily have a defined organizational structure or administration. Rules and mores can be unstated yet simply understood by members of the community as they seek to share from the resources available.
Ultimately, a community is a group of people with enough in common that they will enjoy more success by working together than focusing on individual needs.
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