Community – Being Human 73and appreciate the context in which this word is used. For example,
“community” has very different meanings when applied to such phrases
as “International Community”, “East African Community”, “Economic
Community of West African States” (ECOWAS), “Economic Commu-
nity of Central African States”, “European Community”, “European
Economic Community”, “European Coal and Steel Community”, “Eu-
ropean Atomic Energy Community”, and so on. In Anthropology the
word “community” refers to closely-knit groupings of humans, whose
members are usually related through kinship, living together for mutual
support and sustenance. Religious use of the word refers to groups of
men and women who have taken vows to dedicate their lives for a spe-
cific vocation- such as the Iona Community, Community of the Resur-
rection, and so on. Thus the notion of “Community” connotes at least
one of the following concepts:
(a) a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific lo-
cality, with one government and often a common cultural and
historical heritage;
(b) a locality by such a group;
(c) a social, religious, occupational or other group sharing common
characteristics or interests, and perceiving itself as distinct in
some respect from the larger society within which it exists such
as the business community, the community of scholars, the sci-
entific community;
(d) a group of associated nations sharing common interests or a
common heritage, such as the European Economic Community,
the East African Community, the Economic Community of West
African States, the Economic Community of Central African
States;
(e) in ecclesiastical circles, a group of men or women leading a
common life according to vows they have taken for a particular
vocation;