A community is a group of individuals forming a container based on shared interests, geography, identity, and goals. In the pursuit of these goals, communities interact and support each other by exchanging and sharing experiences. From a sociological perspective, a community differs from society, referring to a specific social life domain (Nasdian, 2014). Communities are integral parts of societal structures.

Communities can be categorized into two types: first, rural communities characterized by strong bonds, social institutions, and communal culture; second, urban communities, more individualistic with clearer boundaries and rationality (Anggraeni, 2021). In the current era, communities evolve not only physically but also in virtual environments.

Linking the existence of communities to development sparks an inseparable discussion. Contemporary development emphasizes community involvement in the process. Development is a brief effort to transform the nonexistent into existence, bringing about societal change. It focuses on sustainability, empowerment, networking, and strengthening the self-reliance of the community. Community strengthening aims to face challenges, seize opportunities, address poverty, misfortune, enhance equality, reduce hunger, and provide more development opportunities tailored to local needs, offering solutions to social issues. Communities serve as empowerment platforms, knowledge exchange, building strong social lives, and reinforcing identities.

Development is a complex social process but negotiable. Every change process impacts many people and their interests. Communities are development partners. Involving communities in the development process yields positive results, especially when developed through community development principles, capable of driving social and economic change.

The development paradigm underwent rapid changes post-World War II through modernization approaches, involving technology and infrastructure for productivity and modernization, leading to dependency and neoliberalism impacts. Modernization depicted development without local community involvement, leading to the term "top-down," where society merely receives what authorities provide. This prompted a "Bottom-up" movement, emphasizing the importance of involving communities in the development process to tackle real social challenges.

Community as an Agent of Change

Communities in development have the potential to influence and change social, cultural, economic, and environmental conditions. This underscores that communities actively shape their future according to their needs.

For instance, a group of people collaborates to develop their region into a tourist village using technology, or farmers use technology to increase their harvests, and empowering farmer groups through social capital and institutions improves their quality of life. These examples emphasize that development doesn't always have to come from external sources; it can be sourced from within the community. Sharing knowledge can inspire others, and social capital, trust, and networks allow positive social change. Communities are local assets and sources of strength. By leveraging local attributes, potential solutions can be found to address social and economic challenges.

In conclusion, viewing communities as agents of change in development highlights the importance of active community and societal participation in creating the desired changes, emphasizing the significance of supporting sustainable community development. 

-Diana Anggraeni

References

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Junaid, I., Dewi, WO., Said, A., & Hanafi, H. (2022). Pengembangan Desa Wisata Berkelanjutan: Studi Kasus di Desa Paccekke, Kabupaten Barru, Indonesia. Journal of Regional and Rural Development Planning (Jurnal Perencanaan Pembangunan Wilayah dan Perdesaan), Vol. 6 (3).

Nasdian, F. (2014). Pengembangan masyarakat. Yayasan Obor Indonesia.

Nuryanti, S., & Swastika, DKS. (2011). Peran Kelompok Tani dalam Penerapan Teknologi Pertanian. Forum Penelitian Argo Ekonomi, Vol. 29 (2).

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