This study reports on a field investigation on the active members in regional organizations and regional nonprofit groups. We focused on the relations between their regional activities, their community sentiments and their subjective factors for community renewal.
We found the followings: First, in our field of research, while there remain time-lasting organizations of neighbors on the basis of shared territorial bonds, regional activities with new unique ways, not up to bonds of kin or shared territory, in "community-associations" to try for restructuring communities on the association principles or life-enjoying circles can also be seen. Second, the community sentiments of active members in regional organizations and regional nonprofit groups are relatively stronger in comparison with popular residents. Their community sentiments are, however, influenced by the personal elements, as to sex, age, income, types of their domiciles, and/or the regional organizations or regional nonprofit groups to which they belong. Third, they do not always sufficiently develop their subjective factors for community renewal, especially as to "subjective factor for bringing up a common problem", "self-sacrifice-spirited factor", "public-spirited factor". They do not necessarily intend to realize common interests with communal actions beyond their own profits. On the other hand, apart from being based on co-work with self-governing body or without it, through their activities they develop their community sentiments that relate mutually to their subjective factors for community renewal.
These findings show that we should take measures to get rid of obstructive causes of participation in community activities with regard to the personal elements Simultaneously with it, enriching people with practical opportunities for participation and experiences of responsible roles could have the potential not only for stimulating the common recognition against regional problems and their community sentiments but could also be effective means for nurturing their subjective factors for community renewal.
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