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The Disembedding Personal Relation Networks And The Cultivation Of Urban-Community Community

Posted on:2013-07-23Degree:DoctorType:Dissertation
Country:ChinaCandidate:Y C LanFull Text:PDF
GTID:1227330395959201Subject:Sociology
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In the background of the transformation of the overall social structure, both urban social relations and microscopic personal relation networks are reconstructing. Then, what changes have taken place in urban community which serves as regional social units? Whether is urban community of community in nature? Whether and how does the reconstruction of personal relation networks influence the structure of urban community? On account of the above questions, this paper attempts to explore the structure characteristics of urban community in China and analyze the influence of the disembedding residents’personal relation networks on the structure of urban community and further interpret the problems out of residents’participation in urban community activities and put forward some constructive strategies of cultivating community of urban community from the perspective of the influence of residents’-personal-social-relations changes on the overall structure of urban community in the microscopic background of social transformation.This paper argues that a correct understanding of the real urban community form is the logical starting point of urban community research and practice. In order to make clear whether urban community is community, this paper points out community is one of the positive stable relations that results from continuous interactions. In traditional society, community coming into being through geographical bonds was common, but geography is not the property of community in essence. In modern society, bonds that lead to community are diverse. Due to the development of modern transportation and communication, social intercourse between people has exceeded geographical restrictions into greater and greater space. Whether or not geography is to be a close bond for community, or, geographical urban community can become community is on the basis of residents’endogenous demand for community and depends on the agreement and cultivation of a variety of social conditions.The influence of social transformation on urban community is profound. On the macroscopic level, along with the separation of the state and the society, urban community becomes relatively independent and loosely connected geographical society; On the medium level, along with the miniaturization of the government and the specialization of organizational functions, social function overflowing out of them sinks into the local society; On the micro level, with the increase of free individuals in society and the promotion of their autonomy and mobility, urban community becomes the main activity space of the individuals that remain outside "units". Social transformation results in the reorganization of urban community relations, meanwhile, personal relationships generally extend beyond urban community so that various disembedding communities come into being due to the change in the-resources-allocation system and the function of the off-the-field mechanism and the rationalization of individual behavior choice and the influence of the liberalization of social migration and the marketization of social services. According to the investigation of the real urban community, it is concluded that the present structure of urban community are severely imperfect and the connections within urban community are on the decrease and residents fail to identify themselves with urban community and are lack of enthusiasm in participation. Empirical research proves that community of urban community in contemporary China is declining.With the transformation from the highly organized "working unit" society to "urban community" society, urban community is historically "endowed" with the function of integrating and regulating the society and the reintegration after high social differentiation is realized through construction of urban community. The key that whether or not urban community can be a link between individuals and the society and play a role in social integration-uniting residents together consists in whether the structure of urban community is reasonable and whether there are extensive geographical connections in urban community. For the structure of urban community is unreasonable and community of urban community is declining, the construction of urban community is to cultivate community within urban community and better the structure of urban community. Residents’unanimous expectation of perfect urban community services and close neighborhood is the realistic basis of cultivation of community of urban community and the precondition for the construction of urban community.This paper based on the theory of social networks and the structural theory analyzes the influence of disembedding personal relationships networks on urban community structure in details. The disembedding of personal relationship network directly leads to the estrangement and desalination in the neighborhood within urban community and the organization of urban community being underdeveloped and the weaker and weaker connections between urban community and the structural loss of urban community and the failure in developing residents’awareness of and affection for urban community and the general inadequateness of residents’participation in promoting the relationships of urban community and finally community becomes less and less. As regards the general inadequateness of residents’ participation that gets in the way of the development of urban community, the theory of social network provides the relation-and-structure basis for the explanation of residents’ participation.The theory of social network stresses that behaviors are "embedded" in relation and individuals’ position in a specific network and how strong the connection between individuals and networks and the overlap of relations constrain individuals’ behaviors respectively. Though residents are the main body of urban community, residents’ marginalized position in the overall network inevitably deteriorates their enthusiasm participation. Regulated by disembedding mechanism, between residents and urban community is a gradually weakening social relation. In the overall urban community relations, urban community committee is the core. However, due to the administration of its function, it fails to serve as the representative of residents defending their rights and interests and its ability to meet the demands of residents and to mobilize them is limited. The stable connection between residents and urban community committee is not yet coming into being and residents are still at the margin of the relationship network of urban community for they have no excess to the core of the relationship structure. Residents’ marginalized position determines the constraint of the existing structure of urban community is limited to residents and leads to their difficulty in the awareness of their responsibilities and obligations. Their will to participate and behaviors in urban community can not be as voluntary as in a traditional one and the inadequateness of participation in activities in urban community is unavoidable.The structural theory emphasize that social structure and human behaviors are mutually constructed-the structure of urban community restrains residents’ participation and residents’ participation plays a structural construction(creation) role. Residents’ active participation in urban community activities enable them to have extensive and intensive social relationship network and participation in urban community activities is the forming and remodeling process of the structure of urban community. It is the off field of personal relationship networks that result in the loss of the structure of the geographical urban community. The imperfect urban community structure limits residents’ participation and causes widespread lack of participation. Under such circumstances, it is hard to better horizontal relationship network of urban community. Horizontal relationship is of the greatest importance in reflecting community in urban community.The decline of community in urban community and the universality and significance of disembedding community do not mean the loss of urban community relation. Geographical social association is always there and of irreplaceable value. In the light of the disembedding influence of residents’ relationship network, this paper puts forward the awakening of common awareness and unearthing common interests through restoring good neighborhood and the reconstructing of the new geography of the Internet era via the re-localization of the Internet and the cultivation of the form of urban community wanted by residents and the society.Separation of time and space is the initial condition for off the field. It is bidirectional. That is, that the disembedding social relations are reconnected in the infinite space has a "re-embedding" effect which agrees with geographical time-space conditions. Making use of the Internet "localization" effect to construct area network within urban community, not only increases channels of residents’ participation but cultivates geographical connections between residents. Perfect urban community service is the precondition for residents’ identity with urban community and the bond connecting individuals and urban community. The perfection of the function of urban community services is helpful for the abundant connection between "individuals" and "urban community". Harmonious and warm and sweet neighborhood is the existence base of urban community, in order to restore and reconstruct neighborhood, on one hand, rich urban community activities should be advocated to promote residents associations with each other, on the other hand, various voluntary organizations should be fostered to enhance residents’ mutual help and get stable and lasting neighborhood to establish. Popularization of public spirit is the basis of the establishment of urban community awareness and the cultivation of residents’ identity with urban community and the spiritual foundation of the development of urban community. To discover common interests among residents and more and more common interests among residents and between residents and urban community is likely to develop a common consciousness.
Keywords/Search Tags:relation network, disembedding, community, community structure
PDF Full Text Request
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