Bridging the Gap

Bridging the Gap: Communities within a Community

Kathern M. Paige

University of Southern California

Professor Mischel

SOWK 534

May 28, 2014

Introduction

Understanding and defining communities is a very complicated undertaking. Everyone has their own ideas and experiences as to what a community is to them. Netting, F.E., Kettner, P.M., McCurtry, S.L., & Thomas, M.L. (2012). According to Netting (2012) social workers have a responsibility to recognize that a community is very powerful when it's potential is understood.

(Netting et al., 2012)

The author read in Netting (2012) that there are many theories that have been written and studied to understand the scope of community and how communities function.

Fellin (as cited in Netting et al., 2001) explains to us that community occurs when people come together around common location, interest, cultures, and for other needs.

These theories were written to help us understand the dynamics between communities and its residents. The goal is that this knowledge in turn will enable social services and the social workers to actively engage in helping the disadvantaged and affect social change.

Two theories of interest to the author is The Conflict Theory, specifically the explanation of the have and the have- nots, and The Theories about Power, Politics, and Change. (Netting et al., 2012)

The authors community can be defined as place based and is divided into two geographical areas; the mainland and the beachside. Both areas have communities within communities, which have many positive attributes, but are comprised of a mixture of the have and the have-nots.

Community Demographics

New Smyrna Beach is located in Volusia County Florida, which is located on the central east coast of the state; with the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The city is on both sides of the Indian River and the Indian River Lagoon system. (facfinder2.census.gov, 2012) It is common knowledge that the locals refer to the west...