Because of the multidisciplinary fields in which the concept of community has been used, the debate as to what constitutes a community is an ongoing discussion that has increased especially in the 21st century, characterized by a growing presence of communities engaged in different development efforts. In order to more precisely define the term and to show its implications, this article gives an overview of the various conceptualizations given to community by going far back in history to trace its roots. Thus, the historical-philosophical context in the second half of the 19th and early 20th century is outlined, in which the paradigm of community as Gemeinschaft arose in contrast with society (Gesellschaft) and found a practical application in Peter Petersen’s pedagogical proposal. However, despite the various issues subsumed under the term and the multifaceted ways in which community participates in today’s digital world of today, community seems to preserve its original meaning of aggregation and reciprocity strength.
Keywords: Community, society, relationship, reciprocity, new schools, community of prac-tices