Community Capacity Building for Eliminating the Individualistic Norms and Values in a Society Polarized by a Socio-Economic Divide
Capitalism, consumerism, industrialization, globalization and corporations promote individualism, sexism, classism, racism, privatization, competition, urbanization, and socio-economic division between rich and poor, increasing social polarization, inequality, injustice, and discrimination in society and thereby diminishing its human face. They are not promoting environmentalism, a Cinderella economy and people-centered green economics beneficial for the majority of people. The socio-economic divide polarizing society is reinforced by anti-community and non-communal, nonaltruistic values and norms. In contrast, community organizing, community capacity-building, community planning and social networking excel in building a sense of community belonging and caring, and nurture the desire to support each other in cooperative exchange (social capital), resulting in a more altruistic, local, and sustainable economy. the community development approach addresses The issues of unemployment, poverty and gender discrimination in society. The objectives of the paper are to explore the contributions of community development, and to familiarize readers with various successful community initiatives (as opposed to individualism) in different communities in Canada and in Bangladesh. The paper explores why community development work is essential in society as well as some means and strategies for developing altruistic communal values and norms in the community. The paper contains the author`s own academic scholarship, experiences working with the community agencies Noble Institute for Environmental Peace (NIEP), Ahamodhya Muslim Society, MCC in Canada and Grameen Bank (GB), Grameen Motsho & Pashusampad Foundation (GMPF) in Bangladesh. The paper also contains literary reviews on community organizing and community development. Community development is a living process that strives to create communal identity and change the dominating power structure of the society. Communal values can m
