The community as a polysemic notion
Given the uniquely polysemous nature of ‘community’, this article proposes a typological overview based on four comprehensive conceptual approaches to the notion of ‘community’ : 1/ The local community, as a living, relational environment ; 2/ The associative community, as an institutionalized organization or activist groups focusing on a specific issue or problem ; 3/ The identity community, based on a dominant definitional trait that characterizes and binds a diversified mix of individuals ; 4/ The surrounding community, usually territorially based, both politically and culturally, closely identified with the most salient or distinguishing features of society at a national level. The second part of the article examines this typology through the different paradigms of community that Deafs have developed in order to reflect a diversity of expressions and forms of advocacy.