A Study on the Impact on the Participant's Sense of Community through Community Currency Movement in Korea

지역통화운동이 지역사회 공동체의식 강화에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구

The purpose of this study is to examine the residents' life style affected by community-oriented behavior, and to assess the implication of changes in communities and in the participants' sense of community resulted from the Community Currency Movement in Korea. 4 Community Currency organizations were selected for this study and some methodologies such as field research, survey of actual conditions and depth interview research were used, By using of this methodology. We can analyze the characteristics of Community Currency Movement in Korea and the degree of participants' sense of community. As a result of this study, it was found that the residents recognized 'new' community and felt 'a sense of belonging' by exchanging the community currency. They have also expanded 'a sense of responsibility' for the community through the exchange of this currency. Along with this change of attitude, participants have made a new community norms and they have been more or less controled by the norm. Moreover, the emotional satisfaction and the needs for improving self-esteem have been realized within the community, and the intimacy as well as solidarity have been built up and enhanced. In conclusion, the Community Currency Movement gives a significant implication to the communities that seek to solve the community problems of the contemporary society through the communal effort by the residents themselves. Furthermore, in terms of community welfare, this process will be of an immense help in reinforcing self-help ability of the residents effectively.