Gemeinschaftsgefühl
Gemeinschaftsgefühl, translated as sense of community or communal feeling, is a concept in sociology and German social thought referring to the emotional bond and shared solidarity that bind members of a close-knit group. The term is closely associated with Ferdinand Tönnies and his distinction between Gemeinschaft (community) and Gesellschaft (society). In that framework, Gemeinschaftsgefühl is the affective core that sustains intimate, face-to-face relations and common norms.
Characteristics include mutual trust, reciprocity, obligation to help kin and neighbors, shared values, and a strong
In modern sociology, the concept is used to analyze social cohesion and the persistence of social capital
Critiques note that excessive emphasis on Gemeinwesen can mask exclusion or conformity pressures, and some scholars