Gemeinsheft and Gesellschaft: Empowering Parks and Recreation Students to Engender Common-Unity in Place-Based and Nonplace Communities

Abstract

This paper is about the experience of “common-unity” among people who are members of place and non-place communities. We review the concept of “community” and then propose a theory of constraints and affordances to “common-unity” among members of both types of communities. The theory stresses the central role of community value and self-efficacy beliefs about community. Based on the theory, we then propose methods that teachers may use to develop common-unity within a learning environment and within a locality (place)-based community.

Keywords:

• community
• constraints
• affordances
• beliefs
• self-efficacy
• values

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gary D. Ellis

Biographical Information

Gary D. Ellis is Professor and Chair of the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism at the University of Utah.

Eric P. Trunnell

Eric Trunnel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Promotion and Education at the University of Utah.

Rodney A. Ellis

Rodney Ellis is an Assistant Professor in the College of Social Work at the University of Tennessee.