Revisiting community and neighborhood in place-based literature: A multi-framework synthesis to conceptual clarity

Conceptual ambiguity between “community” and “neighborhood” in place-based research limits theoretical clarity and policy application. This review synthesizes four theoretical frameworks (Chicago School, Residents’ Viewpoint, Social Transformation, and Political-Economic) to clarify conceptual slippage and propose planning and governance implications. The Chicago School views community as a dynamic social entity structured by ecological and spatial patterns, emphasizing neighborhood as a small-scale unit of belonging. In contrast, the Residents’ Viewpoint centers lived experience, trust, and attachment, viewing neighborhoods as imagined and valued subjectively. The Social Transformation perspective positions community as fluid and contested under global mobility and technological change, challenging static, place-bound notions. The Political-Economic perspective conceptualizes community within socio-spatial structures of power, governance, and inequality, illustrating how policies and markets shape neighborhood formation and fragmentation. Together, they show that while neighborhood denotes a geographic unit, community extends beyond proximity to sociocultural and political dimensions, calling for integrated policy and research approaches.