Lending the Self to a Community An Exploration of an Individual's Development of Commitment, Responsibility and Loyalty
Abstract
The following compilation of research examines developments which take place within
the lives of ten individuals as they participate in a community based committee that has
been founded through the support of a local non-profit organization. Specifically, the
development of commitment, accountability, and loyalty that individuals experience
through their community participation will be explored. Attention to the creation of
such characteristics within an individual is essential in the understanding of civic
engagement and citizenship as one must thoroughly understand an individual's
experience to comprehend the dramatic influences of social capital within the
American culture.