What is Community?

Like the theme of Family, Community is a very difficult to properly define. When looking at different definitions on the internet and in dictionaries there are various different definitions and interpretations of what a community is. These are some of the definitions I came across in my research

  • a group of people living in the same place
  • a group of friends
  • members of the same sporting/recreational activities
  • body of nations or states unified by common interests.
  • denoting a worker or resource designed to serve the people of a particular area

The main idea that I developed  from the my research is that community is much more broader  than family. Community is often a larger group of people, an the relationship shared within that community tend to be less personal than family.

Community is an important part of a person’s identity. Community can be race related, nationalistic, religious, political, or even just a group of neighbours and people who live in an area, who might not even know each other. Nearly everyone to some degree would consider themselves to be a member of community.

Community Photography

Community is one of the most popular types of topic to study in documentary photography. It has lead to some of the most influential bodies of photographic work in the 20th and 21st Centuries. Here are a list of some photograph who have explored the theme of community within their work.

Martin Parr; Think of England

Alec Soth; Sleeping by the Mississippi

Jonas Bendikson; British Wool

Mikhael Subotsky: Die Vier Hoeke

Yuri Toropstov: Marylin and I

 

 

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