scieee Science in your language
[en] (orig)

Community is more than just a physical space Discuss this statement with specific reference to the role of the concept and experience of contemporary community

Abstract

What happens if among the members of a society and among the smaller and larger units and groups making up the society trust and confidence seems to be disappearing at once? What happens if confidence reposed into each other fall victim to social differences as well as to the economic / cost-of-living boxing of modern information society? How to stop the crisis symptom that seems to be developing this way and which is shown in the fragmentation of communities?1 With other words, is it possible to “stick again together” a community or even a whole society started to disintegrate? The questions, even if not so characteristically phrased, provide sociologists actually with the scope of understanding our modern, individualistic world (Habermas 1994). Gusfield (1975) depicts dichotomy of community and society in a way that we should interpret community as a pervading, significant contrast. By now literature seems as if it was only be able to picture the changes taking place in the images both of the society and community describing them by even more pronounced, contradictory processes. The changes that send messages on the disintegration of categories and frames becoming insecure instead of the security and integration quasi missed by Habermas. It also seems as if—quasi as an answer given to this process—occlusion/seclusion both on the part of community members and the various communities from the seemingly unknown and insecure changes were more intensive (Légmán 2012). We intend to construe these phenomena on the next pages, but due to extension limits without the need for completeness of social interpretations. We want to do it with the help of mainly one dimension: value preference through the example of a given society, namely the Hungarian one. Thus we get to the stability and the solidarity of the members of the smallest unit of society, one which accepts and expresses various value preferences, the family.

Read accessible full text

Community is more than just a physical space Discuss this statement with specific reference to the role of the concept and experience of contemporary community

Author: Schranz, Edit
Year: 2015
Source: https://dea.lib.unideb.hu/bitstreams/b7009d4b-dcd4-4ba7-94b2-b7183fae2115/download
METSZETEK
Vol. 4 (2015) No. 4
ISSN 2063-6415
DOI 10.18392/me sz/2015/4/10
www. me sze ek.unideb.huwww. me sze ek.unideb.hu
Edi Sch anz: Communi y is mo e han jus a physical space 129
DOKTORI MŰHELYEKBŐL
Communi y is mo e han jus a physical space
Discuss his s a emen wi h speci ic e e ence o he ole o he concep
and expe ience o con empo a y communi y
EDIT SCHRANZ
Deb eceni Egye em, Humán Tudományok Dok o i Iskola
Szociológia és á sadalompoli ika dok o i p og am
In oduc ion
Wha happens i among he membe s o a socie y and among he smalle and
la ge uni s and g oups making up he socie y us and con idence seems o be
disappea ing a once? Wha happens i con idence eposed in o each o he all ic im
o social di e ences as well as o he economic / cos -o -li ing boxing o mode n
in o ma ion socie y? How o s op he c isis symp om ha seems o be de eloping his
way and which is shown in he agmen a ion o communi ies?1 Wi h o he wo ds,
is i possible o “s ick again oge he ” a communi y o e en a whole socie y s a ed
o disin eg a e? The ques ions, e en i no so cha ac e is ically ph ased, p o ide
sociologis s ac ually wi h he scope o unde s anding ou mode n, indi idualis ic
wo ld (Habe mas 1994). Gus ield (1975) depic s dicho omy o communi y and
socie y in a way ha we should in e p e communi y as a pe ading, signi ican
con as . By now li e a u e seems as i i was only be able o pic u e he changes
aking place in he images bo h o he socie y and communi y desc ibing hem by e en
mo e p onounced, con adic o y p ocesses. The changes ha send messages on he
disin eg a ion o ca ego ies and ames becoming insecu e ins ead o he secu i y
and in eg a ion quasi missed by Habe mas. I also seems as i —quasi as an answe
gi en o his p ocess—occlusion/seclusion bo h on he pa o communi y membe s
and he a ious communi ies om he seemingly unknown and insecu e changes
we e mo e in ensi e (Légmán 2012). We in end o cons ue hese phenomena on
he nex pages, bu due o ex ension limi s wi hou he need o comple eness o
social in e p e a ions. We wan o do i wi h he help o mainly one dimension:
alue p e e ence h ough he example o a gi en socie y, namely he Hunga ian one.
Thus we ge o he s abili y and he solida i y o he membe s o he smalles uni o
socie y, one which accep s and exp esses a ious alue p e e ences, he amily.
1 The e is no way o go in o de ail in his s udy conce ning he issues being he well- easoned social
issues aised in ou p esen age. Maybe a whole olume would be insu icien o discuss he opic. Fo he
momen , we conside ed aising he issue a all e y impo an .
METSZETEK
Vol. 4 (2015) No. 4
ISSN 2063-6415
DOI 10.18392/me sz/2015/4/10
www. me sze ek.unideb.hu
130 Edi Sch anz: Communi y is mo e han jus a physical space
DOKTORI MŰHELYEKBŐL
1. Communi y and us —ques ions, ideologies, in e ses
1.1. CONFIDENCE VERSUS TRUST
Gyö gy Csepeli, in his 2014 s udy, w i es ha he us in he en i e y o he mode n
social sys em which is shown by he membe s o he socie y owa ds he economic
and poli ical eli e shows whe he a socie y is ideal o no . He belie es ha us
appea s as a ool o collec i e e lec ion on social phenomena and dis inguishes
be ween he us o membe s o socie y in he social sys em (con idence) and
us be ween people ( us ). He pu s an emphasis on he ac ha high con idence
index bo h a he le el o in e pe sonal and in e ac i e ela ions e e s o he ideal
unc ioning o socie y. In he opposi e case i is e y likely called c isis (Csepeli 2014).
On he o he hand, Csepeli conside s he wo in e media e s a es, when con idence
in socie y exis s, bu us be ween people does no , and he in e se o his, he
indica o s o change. “I ’s a sign o eg ession in o he Gemeinscha s a e i con idence
disappea s bu us emains.” (Csepeli 2014: 19 e e s o Ko nai – Ro hs ein – Rose
– Acke man 2005)
I ’s no by chance ha we deal somewha longe wi h he wo d con idence i sel
as an ins umen o communal e lec ion gi en o social phenomena—as men ioned
abo e. I will ge an impo an ole in he nex pa o his s udy, whe e we in end o
demons a e by a de ini e popula ion exis ing signs ha may indica e changes ac ing
owa ds disin eg a ion in a socie y.
We can ind he he elemen s o he a o eme ioned idea in a di e en o m in
Fe dinand Tönnies’s wo k al eady. In his Communi y and Socie y (1887), he was
he i s o make ideo ypical di e en ia ion (Csepeli 2014) be ween communal
o ganiza ion ma king he na u al s a e o man and la e social o ganiza ions (Tönnies
2002). Theo ies se o h by Tönnies, on he one hand, allow us o no ice no only
he di e ence be ween he ela ionships de eloped om “secu i y”-based, na u al,
amily communi ies and communi ies o mode n socie y made up o indi iduals on
pu pose based on supe icial con ac s. On he o he hand, hey gi e an oppo uni y
o us o ca y on he hough un il we ana omize he ope a i e unc ions o mode n
socie y, o he ideas o au hen ic and—in espec o he whole socie y—unau hen ic
exis ence o he economic and poli ical sys em.
1.2. TRADITIONAL VERSUS MODERN
Howe e , can he phenomena disco e able in cu en socie ies acing ou
disin eg a ion ha , ega ding he esul s o sociological esea ch, poin ou he
de elopmen o he c isis o con idence (Ko ách – K is ó 2012) be in e p e ed as
he b eakup o communi ies? O a e we simply wi nessing he disappea ance o old,
METSZETEK
Vol. 4 (2015) No. 4
ISSN 2063-6415
DOI 10.18392/me sz/2015/4/10
www. me sze ek.unideb.huwww. me sze ek.unideb.hu
Edi Sch anz: Communi y is mo e han jus a physical space 131
DOKTORI MŰHELYEKBŐL
adi ional o ms o communi y along wi h he appea ance o new ones? (Légmán
2012)
Acco ding o Tönnies, in adi ional socie ies he place o he indi idual is p e-
disposed, pe sonal iden i y is de ined by he communi y and ela ionships a e s able.
Indi idualism o mode n socie ies which in e ms o sociological in e p e a ion ha e
begun along wi h indus ializa ion did no make good o adi ional communi ies.
Disappea ance o old clus e s and eme gence o new ones a ound he indi idual—
pu ing him o he in he ocus (U asi 2002)—does no mean only ha he old
ones ( amily, ela i es, wo kplace ela ionships) ha e been subs i u ed by new,
loose bonds (Beck 2003). I means also ha o he e ec o ce ain social e en s,
he cons an cyclicali y o anishing-eme ging communi ies ypical o socie ies
o he wise de eloping and o ming in a na u al way is discon inued. Tha is adi ional
communi ies a e elimina ed, hey a e no eplaced and hus no new ones appea in
hei places (Hankiss 2002).
Jü gen Habe mas, howe e , akes a a he i m s ance. P oceeding om
indi idualism as well, he e alua es he loss o ames ma king communi y inhesion as
a consequence o indi idualism. He says ha he lack o in eg a ion esul s in iden i y
c isis in he socie y (Habe mas 1994). This sugges s ha he misses he secu i y
p o iding, in eg a ing e ec o adi ional communi y image in mode n socie y
(Légmán 2012). A he same ime, An hony P. Cohen, acco ding o he challenges
o he e a, s udies communi y om a di e en aspec han he ep esen a i es o
classical sociology o he g ea p edecesso s om he Chicago school do2. Al hough
buil on he wo k o he p edecesso s, as we al eady e e ed o ha in connec ion
wi h Du kheim, Cohen’s wo ks do no miss he “doc ines” o Webe ei he . Cohen,
when in es iga ing he idea o communi y, did no examine communi y i sel only.
He also wan ed know how he membe s o communi y eally de ine and imagine
again hei g oups and iden i ies (Cohen 1985). Acco ding o Cohen, a he le el o
e e yday li e— amily, iends, neighbou hood, i al y and jealousy as he o ien a ion
poin s o social p ocesses— he exis ence o communi y basically depends on sense.
This “sense” comes in o being, on he one hand, by human in e ac ions. On he o he
hand, i is an unb eakable pe cep ion o he “bounds” which communi y bounds
a e desc ibed as o symbolic ype by Cohen. No only because di e en meanings
do mean di e en hings o people, he says, bu also because sensing communal
2 Cohen has belonged o he hi d “gene a ion” o communi y s udies. Wes e n communi y s udy
o igina es basically om sociology, i s o all he Chigao School – e.g. Lynd; Pa k – Bo gess – McKenzie;
Zo baugh; Why e, as well as he social an h opology o B i ish impe ialism—e.g. E ans-P i cha d; Rees.
This school has come a simila way in o he Wes e n-Eu opean coun ies, as well. I s i s “gene a ion”
has aken communi y o g an ed; communi ies we e conside ed as s a ic, ha monized and unc ionally
heal hy g oups. The second “gene a ion” has essen ially ca ied on in he same di ec ion, e.g. Newby;
Mina – G ee ; Nisbe ; Pa sons S acey; Willmo (Bencze 2010).
METSZETEK
Vol. 4 (2015) No. 4
ISSN 2063-6415
DOI 10.18392/me sz/2015/4/10
www. me sze ek.unideb.hu
132 Edi Sch anz: Communi y is mo e han jus a physical space
DOKTORI MŰHELYEKBŐL
bounds may be comple ely insensible o people being ou side o he communi y.
Symbolic bounds a e “illegible”—he w i es in his book: The symbolic cons uc ion o
communi y. “You canno d i e a b idge ac oss a i e which you canno see” (Cohen
1985: 37)—he adds o emphasis.
1.2.1. The cohesion o he “we” consciousness
Compa ed o Cohen’s symbolism Elemé Hankiss3 app oaches he issue om a
mo e ealis ic aspec in his book da ed back in 19794. Fo him communi y means
he coexis ence o people who a e held oge he by a common objec i e, in e es o
alues, ha is he “we” sense. His s andpoin is ha he mo e o hese ou c i e ia
a e p esen in he li e o a communi y, he s onge i s inne cohesion, e iciency
and esis ance agains ou e e ec s a e. Howe e , says Hankiss, communi y as
he ca alyse o he e ol emen o human pe sonali y, is as much an impo an
ins umen as “dange ous” i is, “because i can uin and e en elimina e human
pe sonali y, human au onomy” (Hankiss 2004: 171). And hough Hankiss ins ances
he e he pe sonali y des oying p ac ice o Hi le jugend, oday we can exac ly
iden i y p esen p oblems o “we” and “you” wi h i , pai ed wi h poli ical heo ies
hidden behind he shield o he “absol ing” ole o communi y. Fo his e ela ion,
he issue o mode n communi ies and he po en ial solu ion o exis ing p oblems,
howe e , i is no e adable o exac ly know wha he wo d “con idence/ us ” means.
Wha i means oday and mean hen when—acco ding o a ious c i e ia and no
inciden ally also in o de o seek answe s o sol ing social p oblems— he s udy
o human communi ies and human socie ies was s a ed. The sha e o oubles o
p esen socie ies as a ood o hough is he ac ha he ac ions and hough s o
a communi y o communi ies o a ce ain coun y (Islamic S a e) seems o ha e
become global by now. Mo eo e , apa om geog aphical loca ion, based on ce ain
c i e ia, i uni es people—who ac ually do no belong o a communi y in close e ms
o classical sociology based on Spence ’s doc ines—in o an ideological communi y,
he communi y o de ence.
3 Elemé Hankiss (1928–) Hunga ian sociologis , philosophe , alue- esea che and li e a y his o i-
an, holde o he Széchenyi-awa d.
4 A ha ime he e was s ill a socialis sys em o go e nmen in Hunga y. The published book was
i led Social T aps and Diagnoses and he e was qui e a good u nou o i . I was due o i s con en which
ga e an exac analysis o dis o ions a ec ing communi y and i s sense in o he hands o eade s (as well
as he pa o leade s o he one-pa y s a e who we e willing o ead he book). (The au ho )
METSZETEK
Vol. 4 (2015) No. 4
ISSN 2063-6415
DOI 10.18392/me sz/2015/4/10
www. me sze ek.unideb.huwww. me sze ek.unideb.hu
Edi Sch anz: Communi y is mo e han jus a physical space 133
DOKTORI MŰHELYEKBŐL
2. “Secu i y” in con as wi h ee choice5
2.1. SOCIETY-WIDE DISTRUST—THE EXAMPLE OF HUNGARY
Membe s o he Ins i u e o Sociology o he Hunga ian Academy o Sciences s a ed
a esea ch p ojec h ee yea s ago which was going o las o se e al yea s and was
o be conduc ed in se e al s ages. The p ojec aims o su ey he exac de ini ion o
he phenomena ha became pe cep ible as a consequence o he social ansi ion
happened du ing he wo decades ollowing he change o he poli ical egime6
in Hunga y in 1989/90. Resea che s hope i will esul in an expec ed change o
pa adigm. P ecisely, sociologis s wan (ed) o igu e ou how in eg a ion7 does and
how does no unc ionin he p esen Hunga ian socie y. The ini ial wild shoo s8 o new
capi alism in Hunga y hen by i ue o he economic c isis in 2008 he e en mo e
spec acula social di e ences esul ed in pe cep ible aul -lines wi hin he Hunga ian
socie y. Addi ionally, he e e less manageable inequali y and non-con idence being
p esen a bo h he mac o and he mic o le els o socie y ha e by now pe cep ibly
manhandled ci izens’ belie eposed in alues. Also o ha eason esea che s
s udied he issue along us and con idence9 espec ing bo h he in e ac ion o wo
5 Z. Baumann (2000) asks he ques ion in his book i led: Liquid Mode ni y; Fo ewo d: On Being
Ligh and Liquid.
6 The change o he poli ical egime ma ks he e a o Hunga ian his o y in he cou se o which he
Hunga ian s a e became a democ a ic s a e b eaking wi h he one-pa y s a e as well as i s cul u al and
ideological ela ions. The new poli ical and economic eli e ha ing been es ablished and o ganized by he
end o he 1980s we e willing o s and less and less he supe ision o he weakening pa y leade ship.
By 1988 he pa y ope a ing he one-pa y egime has los i s suppo p o ided by bo h he majo i y o
pa y membe s and he wide anges o socie y. The majo i y o he popula ion u ged adical changes as
well as a peace ul al e a ion o he egime ha would cease he dic a o ship o he one-pa y sys em and
besides ensu ing poli ical igh s also would p o ide social secu i y o e e y o i s ci izens. Opposi ionis
o ganiza ions ha e de eloped; he p edecesso s o u u e pa ies, such as he Hunga ian Democ a ic Fo-
um(MDF), he Associa ion o F ee Democ a s (SZDSZ), he Associa ion o Young Democ a s (FIDESZ)
and he Independen Small Fa me s’ Pa y (FKGP). The change o he poli ical egime in Hunga y b oadly
means an e en in he cou se o which he s uc u e o he Hunga ian socie y has begun o change.
7 In e ms o sociology we can dis inguish h ee le els o he concep o in eg a ion: 1. he le el o
social heo y, 2. he le el o “ ac ual sociology” o “p o essional le el” e e ing i s o all o g oups in eg-
a ed pa ially in o socie y, and 3. he e e yday “layman’s” le el. A he le el o academic social heo ies
he concep o in eg a ion is connec ed o he issues ha how he mass o people, g oups, ac ions, ins i-
u ions, no ms, e c. will become—a mo e o less— unc ioning whole, i.e. how hese will e ol e o socie y
(Ko ách 2012).
8 P i a iza ion no adequa ely egula ed by he ansi ion go e nmen s and he legal loopholes o
aking he o me socialis s a e p ope y in o p i a e owne ship b ough o h unexpec ed disp opo io-
na eness in he socie y wi hin a ew yea s. (The e a o he new “wild capi alism”.)
9 “T us and con idence mean he acclama ion o he way a socio-economic sys em unc ions. I also
means a socio-psychological mechanism ha may in luence he beha iou o hose pa icipa ing in he
sys em posi i ely and se es as liaison be ween pe sonal mo i a ions and ai hs as well as o ganiza ional
and social objec i es o be achie ed,” (Csepeli in Hajdu 2004; Csepeli Gy. – Ö kény A. – Székelyi M. – Ba na
I. (2004). T us and mis us . Socio-psychological di icul ies on he way leading o ma ke economy in
Eas e n-Eu ope. Sociological Re iew, 1. 3–35.)

METSZETEK
Vol. 4 (2015) No. 4
ISSN 2063-6415
DOI 10.18392/me sz/2015/4/10
www. me sze ek.unideb.hu
134 Edi Sch anz: Communi y is mo e han jus a physical space
DOKTORI MŰHELYEKBŐL
pe sons and he le el o he whole socie y. The s udy anged om he dimension o
he amily h ough employee g oups, economic uni s as well as he in eg a ion and
disc imina i e dimension o mino i ies o he disin eg a ion o local communi ies
as well as o he ex ension o social e ec s made by he social eli e and he ac s o
inequali y. Wi hin he ames o his s udy he e is no way o add ess all men ioned
dimensions. Howe e , i we app oach he dimensions o no ms and alues om
he s andpoin o a social g oup conside ed o be he mos ulne able one (Fu long
2002), i.e. heyoung gene a ion, i u ns ou immedia ely why he p esence o he
disin eg a ion p ocess can be aced in he Hunga ian socie y. Tha ’s why we shall
ocus on his example la e on.
2.2. DISINEGRATED IMAGE OF SOCIETY
T us , as Bence Ság á i w i es in his s udy, enhances he eeling o an indi idual o
belonging o a communi y. A he same ime, i does no mean he exclusion o o he
g oups. The lack o us , howe e , leads o he e osion o social capi al which ends
up wi h isola ion and he disin eg a ion o s uc u es. Communica ion channels do
no wo k and de e io a ion o human ela ions begins. Rumou -monge ing s a s
and p ejudices and s e eo ypes ge s onge (Allpo 1954 in Ság á i 2012).
Resea che s hemsel es ound ha d o ace he ac a e he i s s age o he
p ojec had been inished ha in espec o social in eg a ion he le el o us and
con idence in Hunga y is ex emely low compa ed in e na ionally.
Acco ding o he ou comes o he analyses made ins i u ional con idence has
signi ican ly dec eased since he change o he egime and us eposed in o he s
diminished, as well. In his ega d Hunga y is anked in he las hi d o Eu opean
coun ies. (Figu e 1.)
Figu e 1. Change o gene alized con idence in Hunga y (in a scale o 0–1), 1982–2008
Sou ce: Volume o Social In eg a ion 2012
METSZETEK
Vol. 4 (2015) No. 4
ISSN 2063-6415
DOI 10.18392/me sz/2015/4/10
www. me sze ek.unideb.huwww. me sze ek.unideb.hu
Edi Sch anz: Communi y is mo e han jus a physical space 135
DOKTORI MŰHELYEKBŐL
Rejec ion o no m ansg essions is qui e high, hough esponden s seem o be
insince e in connec ion wi h he ac ion o ansg ession. Compa ed a an Eu opean
le el, Hunga ians assume o he s iola e he no ms a an ex emely la ge a e while
hey a e among he las ones o admi hei own ac i i y o he ansg ession o
no ms. This a i ude, as we shall see, a ec s he hinking o young gene a ions o a
la ge ex en .
A he end o he i s decade o he 2000s Hunga ian people pe cei ed an a e age
a e o co up ion. A he same ime, acco ding o he co up ion pe cei e index
o T anspa ency In e na ional used in in e na ional compa ison, he judgemen o
pe sons in ol ed in e na ionally was ha he si ua ion o Hunga y is obse ably
ge ing wo se10 (Hajdu 2012). “Summing i up, i Hunga ian socie y has o be anked
in a scale o well in eg a ed and disin eg a ed socie ies hen—based on he examined
dimensions—we ha e o say ha Hunga y a he shows he image o a disin eg a ed
socie y” (Hajdu 2012: 60)– s a es Gábo Hajdu in his compa a i e s udy.
The ques ion is igh ully posedabou he ex en poli ics is esponsible o he
a ousal o he cu en si ua ion, and in addi ion o, o a he , as a unc ion o his, he
ex en he in elligen sia a e a aul . Is an Ha csa, in his e iew published in 2007
in Szociológiai Szemle11, b ie ly implies ha by he ea ly-mid 2000’s “ he decline in
he social weigh o he in elligen sia is no a[n exclusi ely] Hunga ian phenomenon”
(Ha csa 2007: 257). Howe e , his asse ion does no de ac any hing om he
ele ance o ha which he au ho s o he book ha se es as a basis o his
analysis w i e abou he easons o he dep ecia ion o he Hunga ian in ellec ual
eli e. The s udy w i en by he sociologis s Kuczi – Ko ách – and K is ó en i led12
A szociológia sze ep ál ozása és az é elmiség ú ja a ha alomból13 desc ibes he
p ocess ha e en hough a e he egime change o 1989 he ques ion o e hinking
he ole o sociology a ose—which placed in o he ocus o he new pa adigm shi
he e ision o he s a i ica ion o social classes— he p ocess ell ic im ho he
“bad habi s Hunga ian sociology” (Ha csa 2007: 256). Wi h he a oidance o ac ual,
public sociological deba es, he unc ion, impo ance, and oe o he sociologis
p o ession changed—p ac ically dep ecia ed, becasue he poli ical “class” (Ha csa
2007: 257) ejec ed he in elligen sia’s need o he p ac ice o con ol o e poli ics o
be unques ionable. Mo eo e , he sp ead o mass media ans o med he s uc u e
o he public, signi ican ly lim ing he in elligen sia’s oom o manou e ing. In
10 News o 17 h Oc obe 2014: he USA posed a p ospec i e p ohibi ion o en y agains nea ly en
Hunga ian ci il se an s, diploma s and la ge en ep eneu s ha ing close liaison wi h he go e nmen ,
because e idence was ound ha hey ied o in luence Ame ican businesses ope a ing in Hunga y. Sou -
ce: online daily newspape s www. index.hu; www.h g.hu; www. o igo.hu
11 Sociological Re iew.
12 In: Tá sadalmi me sze ek, edi ed: Ko ách Im e.
13 Sociology’s ole change and he in elligen sia’s pa h away om powe .
METSZETEK
Vol. 4 (2015) No. 4
ISSN 2063-6415
DOI 10.18392/me sz/2015/4/10
www. me sze ek.unideb.hu
136 Edi Sch anz: Communi y is mo e han jus a physical space
DOKTORI MŰHELYEKBŐL
he wo ds o E zsébe Szalai, he in elligen sia slowly los i s independence, and
i s membe s—wi h he excep ion o a na ow goup—ended up in he sphe e o
in luence o he poli ical and economic eli e (Ha csa quo es Szalai 2007: 257). While
looking o connec ions, app oaching he esponsibleness o poli ics om he o
side o he pa adigm shi —o ul ima ely, lack he eo — he unheld deba es abou
he alidi y s a i ica ion s udies a e mos p obably explained by he insensi i i y
o poli ics and he poli ical eli e, he p oblema ic ela ionship be ween poli ics and
science, and he pa ial p ojec i iza ion, ma ke iza ion o science (Ha csa 2007).
These a o emen ioned phenomena, howe e , did no push Hunga ian socie y
owa ss in eg a ion ei he .
Re u ning o he summe ized esul s o he MTA Sociological Ins i u e, in he
esea ch done on he le el o indi iduals in he analysis dealing wi h ela ionship
ne wo ks cen e s a ound he ques ion “Whom o be us in?”. Resul s a e unequi ocally
hough -p o oking he e, as well. I u ned ou ha in an a e age Hunga ian people
ha e e y ew con iden ial ela ions and e en wi hin hese he a io o ela i es is
high compa ed o ha o iends (Albe – Dá id 2012). Acco ding o s udies we
need o add ha “abou he hal o he adul popula ion li es in a “disin eg a ed”14
amily” … and no hing p o es ha a amily made up o a ma ied man and woman
and hei child en—and only and exclusi ely his one—would be “in eg a ed” in all
cases (Tó h 2012). In my opinion, based on hese s ong bu unequi ocal s a emen s,
his allows us o s a o unde s and wha can lead o he disin eg a ion o ei he a
na owe o a wide communi y o e en he ames o he socie y i sel in he middle
o Eu ope in ou mode n age. I amily as he smalles uni o socie y (U asi 2012), a
communi y based mos ly on he ies o blood canno be a su icien ly secu e poin o
he membe s o he socie y in many cases—as sugges ed by he abo e s a emen —
hen wha kind o example can many u u e gene a ions in a socie y ake wi h hem
o he jou ney and wha alues a e hey going o ep esen ?
2.3. LOSS OF TRUST AMONGST THE YOUNG GENERATION
When in es iga ing he alue dimensions o he age g oup o Hunga ian you h and
young adul s (15–29) esea che s wan ed o know how his gene a ion could be
desc ibed and cha ac e ized in Hunga y. Mo eo e , hey hough i was impo an o
analyse o wha ex en does hei hinking di e om ha o he elde gene a ion,
ha o hei pa en s. We ha e o no e he e ha a he beginning o he ansi ion
14 In he s udy Olga Tó h measu es he ex en o in eg a ion/disin eg a ion wi hin a amily by he
good o bad unc ioning o he amily, he igh ness o ela ionship be ween amily membe s and he
quali y o amily li e.
METSZETEK
Vol. 4 (2015) No. 4
ISSN 2063-6415
DOI 10.18392/me sz/2015/4/10
www. me sze ek.unideb.huwww. me sze ek.unideb.hu
Edi Sch anz: Communi y is mo e han jus a physical space 137
DOKTORI MŰHELYEKBŐL
p ocess ha has aken place in Hunga y i was assumed ha he gene a ion bo n
in he ea ly 1990s would al eady ollow di e en alues by i s age o wen ies han
he wen ysome hings o he 1990s. This was in acco dance wi h he collec i e
social expec a ions: aking isk, inno a ion, dynamism and compe i i eness “should
cha ac e ize” he young gene a ion o he 2010s in an expec edly de eloping, open
socie y (Ság á i 2012). Compa a i e analyses, howe e , show a disillusi e di e ence
in con as wi h he expec ed esul s. In his s udy i led “Age o ansi ions?—The
Socie y’s Image o Hunga ian You h” Bence Ság á i depic s wo conspicuous
di e ences in e ms o compa ing his empi ic esea ch o EU s udies. One o hem
is ha in he opinion o young age g oups in Hunga y he ansg ession o no ms is
necessa y no only o economic success, bu also o e e yday li e15. We can see wi hou
special explana ion ha his is an e iden p oo o he alue c isis and he loss o
con idence. So i is, mainly i we add he a i ude men ioned abo e o he e ec ha
people do no eally admi hei own ansg essions o no ms while hey b ing on
hose occu ing in o he coun ies. Tha is, i i was allowed wi hin he e i o y om
gene a ion o sugges he app op ia eness o accep ed, unw i en “ ules” o “wangle”
o gene a ion o he expec able economic bene i s, while e e ybody exac ly knows
wha would be app op ia e acco ding o he ules o gene al no ms. This is bound o
be he iew o young age g oups on he ansg ession o no ms. We assume howe e ,
ha his esul s in inc easing aul -lines ins ead o o cing cohesion wi hin a socie y
o communi y. Tha is i does no assis he p edominance o “coope a i e s a egy”16
(Hankiss 2004: 44) in he ac ual human and social p ac ices. Righ ly is he issue
aised on how his e osion o us /con idence could be s opped hen? Should all
his be conside ed as he abo e men ioned symp om o c isis o does i i in he
concei ed “mo emen s” cha ac e izing mode n communi ies and socie ies? We
assume ha i does no i in, bu we a e going o gi e de ailed explana ion on he
ele an e idences in ano he s udy. (We need o no e hough ha inding a solu ion
o his communal p oblem seemingly ep esen s a majo challenge o he all- ime
esponsible poli ical go e nance.) The o he conspicuous di e ence as Ság á i
indica ed in his pape is—acco ding o one o he esul s o he Eu opean Social
Su ey ci ed in he s udy— ha he a e age sa is ac ion o Hunga ian young people
wi h he e ec i e poli ical and economic sys em sco ed 52. Compa ed a a Eu opean
le el his is quali ied as e y low ( he lowes ) index17. (Figu e 2.)
15 I is impo an o no e ha —acco ding o he s udy— his poin o iew is ypical no only in he
case o young people s udying in highe educa ion bu o he Hunga ian you h in gene al.
16 Elemé Hankiss desc ibes coope a i e s a egy as ixed in he p ocess o a phenomena ela ed
o socie y. This includes no me ely he coope a i e beha iou o he indi idual aking he in e es s o
he majo i y in o conside a ion bu also ha he indi idual does no gi e p io i y o his/he own di ec
pe sonal in e es s agains hose o he communi y in cou se o he p ocess. (Social T aps – Diagnoses,
2004: 44.)
17 The a e age alue o he index measu ing sa is ac ion sco ed 58 in he comple e ESS sample while
METSZETEK
Vol. 4 (2015) No. 4
ISSN 2063-6415
DOI 10.18392/me sz/2015/4/10
www. me sze ek.unideb.hu
144 Edi Sch anz: Communi y is mo e han jus a physical space
DOKTORI MŰHELYEKBŐL
Hankiss Elemé (2004): Viselkedéskul ú ánk o zulásai. In: Tá sadalmi csapdák és
diagnózisok. Osi is, Budapes : 157–205.
Ha csa Is án (2007): “Osz ályokon innen, a agy úl” – Tá sadalmi me sze ek:
ha alom, é dek, indi idualizáció és egyenlő lenség a mai Magya o szágon.
Nap ilág (2006), Budapes
Janky Béla (2005): Indi idualizmus, e a izmus és a poli ikai a i űdök kapcsola a
a bizalommal. In: Medgyesi Má on – Tó h Is án Gyö gy: Kockáza , bizalom és
ész é el a magya gazdaságban és á sadalomban. Tá ki, Budapes : 70–80.
h p://www.socialne wo k.hu/cikkek/ a sTokeKo e .pd (download 27.09.2015)
Ko ách Im e – Dupcsik Csaba (2012): Be eze ő megjegyzések. In: Ko ách Im e –
Dupcsik Csaba – P Tó h Tamás – Takács Judi (sze k.): Tá sadalmi in eg áció a
jelenko i Magya o szágon. Tanulmányok. MTA Tá sadalom udományi Ku a ó-
közpon (Szociológiai In éze ), A gumen um Kiadó, Budapes : 7–17.
Ko ách Im e – K is ó Luca (2012): Eli és á sadalmi in eg áció. In: Ko ách Im e
– Dupcsik Csaba – P Tó h Tamás – Takács Judi (sze k.): Tá sadalmi in eg áció
a jelenko i Magya o szágon. Tanulmányok. MTA Tá sadalom udományi Ku a ó-
közpon (Szociológiai In éze ), A gumen um Kiadó, Budapes : 30–45.
Légmán Anna (2012): Közösségképek. In: Ko ách Im e – Dupcsik Csaba – P. Tó h
Tamás – Takács Judi (sze k.): Tá sadalmi in eg áció a jelenko i Magya o szágon.
Tanulmányok. MTA Tá sadalom udományi Ku a óközpon (Szociológiai In éze ),
A gumen um Kiadó, Budapes : 357–369.
Ság á i Bence (2012): Az á mene ek ko a? – A magya ia alok á sadalomképé ől.In:
Ko ách Im e – Dupcsik Csaba – P Tó h Tamás – Takács Judi (sze k.): Tá sadalmi
in eg áció a jelenko i Magya o szágon. Tanulmányok. MTA Tá sadalom-
udományi Ku a óközpon (Szociológiai In éze ), A gumen um Kiadó, Budapes :
63–83.
Somlai Pé e (2012): A családi s abili ás kapcsola i szemléle e. ile:///C:/Use s/
edi /Downloads/somlai_pe e _a_csaladi_s abili as_kapcsola i_szemlele e.pd
(download 27.09.2015.)
Tó h Olga (2012): Tá sadalmi in eg áció és család. In: Ko ách Im e – Dupcsik
Csaba – P. Tó h Tamás – Takács Judi (sze k.): Tá sadalmi in eg áció a jelenko i
Magya o szágon. Tanulmányok. MTA Tá sadalom udományi Ku a óközpon
(Szocioló giai In éze ), A gumen um Kiadó, Budapes : 363–383.
Tönnies, F. (2002): Applica ion o Gemeinscha & Gesellscha As Rela ed o O he
Typologies. In: Communi y & Socie y (Du kheim; Cooley; Red o eld; Becke ;
So okin; Webe ; Pa sons) Do e Publica ions INC. Mineola, New Yo k
U asi Ágnes (2002): A bizalom hálója – Mik o á sadalmi kapcsola ok, szolida i ás. Új
Mandá um Kiadó, Budapes

METSZETEK
Vol. 4 (2015) No. 4
ISSN 2063-6415
DOI 10.18392/me sz/2015/4/10
www. me sze ek.unideb.huwww. me sze ek.unideb.hu
Edi Sch anz: Communi y is mo e han jus a physical space 145
DOKTORI MŰHELYEKBŐL
U asi Ágnes (2006): T adicionális család indi iduális é ékp e e enciákkal. In:
Czibe e Ibolya (sze k.): Családszociológia. Deb eceni Egye em, Deb ecen