We need to talk about community

For fire agencies and governments the idea of 'community' is an important feature of bushfire preparedness. While there has been a frequent use of the term 'community' in relation to bushfire in Australia, there have been few attempts to discuss the meaning of the concept. Usually 'community' is broadly understood in relation to geographic, interest and identity. Social scientific conceptualisations of 'community' are problematic because they are often underpinned by assumptions that mean weakened accounts of the social are produced. To address this aspect, a different way of approaching 'community' is suggested based on an assumption of inherent communality. Within this context, governments and agencies frame problems in ways that may perpetuate and create inequalities. The role of governments and agencies in building 'community' is thus questioned. It is suggested that it may be more productive to begin with the premise of 'community' as 'who' we are rather than 'what' we are.