What is Community?

Introduction

More and more individuals around the world are dramatically changing where they call home, what it looks like, and who their neighbors are. These fundamental changes in places and populations raise the fundamental question: ‘What is community?’

The next section looks at changing conditions in the community, including migration, refugees, international students, urban growth and informal settlements.

Migration

The number of international migrants has increased in all UN regions, with Europe, Asia and North America as the main destinations.

Religious Migration

Despite high immigration numbers, Christian immigration is not expected to affect local religious affiliation rates between 2020 and 2050, due to the balance between immigration and emigration.

Refugee

The number of refugees worldwide has increased significantly since 2010.

International Students

The number of international students has been steadily increasing every year since the early 2000s.

Cities

The world is currently largely urbanized, with Asia and Africa leading global urbanization.

Informal Settlements

Informal settlements are the fastest growing aspect of urban life.