Saturday, 28 November 2009
Welfare Dependency: who benefits?
Dave Clements spoke at the Battle of Ideas debate 'Welfare Dependency: who benefits?' http://www.battleofideas.org.uk/index.php/2009/session_detail/2519/ audio formats are here http://www.archive.org/details/BoI09_Welfare
Chav Bashing: Demonising the White Working Class?
Martin Earnshaw (co-author of the Future of Community) chaired the discussion 'Chav bashing: demonising the white working class?' at the Battle of Ideas on the 31st of October. http://www.battleofideas.org.uk/index.php/2009/session_detail/2505/ for the audio in various formats please go to http://www.archive.org/details/BoI09_Chav
The State, freedom and community
Martin Earnshaw (co-editor of the Future of Community) wrote this piece in the community issue of the Big Issue in October arguing that communities can only flourish if the state backs out of individuals' lives. http://www.futurecities.org.uk/review/rev111109.html
Buy the special communities issue here http://www.bigissue.com/product.php?id=74
Buy the special communities issue here http://www.bigissue.com/product.php?id=74
Sunday, 16 August 2009
Preventing Extremism or Bonding Communities
The Government's new approach to Preventing Violent Extremism provoked a bit of comment last week.
http://www.nlgn.org.uk/public/press-releases/nlgn-report-drives-shift-in-government-approach-to-prevent/
The New Local Government Network proposes widening the remit of Prevent from Islamism to other forms of 'extremism' to other forms such as the Far Right, anarchism, and Animal Rights terrorism. Shahid Malik is concerned that the current approach makes the Muslim community feel victimised and has welcomed this shift arguing that some white communities feel alienated too.
Critics such as the Daily Mail have argued that this equates to going soft on Islamic terrorism http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1205431/Labour-weakens-fight-Muslim-extremism.html. However it seems that, rather than going soft, the proposed new prevent strategy will mean that "white" communities will be subject to the same state intrusion as Muslim ones. The NLGN's report makes much of the alleged terrorist threat by white racists, but blurs the distiction between real terrorism and the electoral success of the BNP. Inyat Bunglawala, (writing in the context of the Muslim community and extremism) has pointed out that this type of blurring is 'a frankly macarthyite approach that regards all politically engaged Muslims as being on a kind of conveyor belt whose end point is violent extremism'. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2009/aug/11/prevent-islam-religion-extremism
This is no less true for the BNP than it is for Islamist groups. Support for the BNP may be a result of alienation from mainstream society, but to talk it up as the road to terrorism is fear mongering and divisive.
Read the NLGN's report 'Stronger Together' here
http://www.nlgn.org.uk/public/wp-content/uploads/stronger-together.pdf
http://www.nlgn.org.uk/public/press-releases/nlgn-report-drives-shift-in-government-approach-to-prevent/
The New Local Government Network proposes widening the remit of Prevent from Islamism to other forms of 'extremism' to other forms such as the Far Right, anarchism, and Animal Rights terrorism. Shahid Malik is concerned that the current approach makes the Muslim community feel victimised and has welcomed this shift arguing that some white communities feel alienated too.
Critics such as the Daily Mail have argued that this equates to going soft on Islamic terrorism http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1205431/Labour-weakens-fight-Muslim-extremism.html. However it seems that, rather than going soft, the proposed new prevent strategy will mean that "white" communities will be subject to the same state intrusion as Muslim ones. The NLGN's report makes much of the alleged terrorist threat by white racists, but blurs the distiction between real terrorism and the electoral success of the BNP. Inyat Bunglawala, (writing in the context of the Muslim community and extremism) has pointed out that this type of blurring is 'a frankly macarthyite approach that regards all politically engaged Muslims as being on a kind of conveyor belt whose end point is violent extremism'. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2009/aug/11/prevent-islam-religion-extremism
This is no less true for the BNP than it is for Islamist groups. Support for the BNP may be a result of alienation from mainstream society, but to talk it up as the road to terrorism is fear mongering and divisive.
Read the NLGN's report 'Stronger Together' here
http://www.nlgn.org.uk/public/wp-content/uploads/stronger-together.pdf
Sunday, 26 July 2009
Reviving Respect
Part 2 of Death of Respect
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ls7fk
This part benefited from the narrator, John Ware, going round the country to look at ways in which communities have tried to solve their problems. This generally meant that the programme avoided the problems with part one, which seemed to flit from talking about incivility as a general problem, and the breakdown of community in the poorest neighbourhoods. The programme noted that there was a problem with troubled communities looking solely to the police to solve their problems and hinted that it may be inspirational individuals who may be the best hope for repairing social bonds. Most inspiring was the headteacher of Harrogate Primary School who threw out the national curriculum guidelines when it was clear that they were failing and turned around her school as a result. Most of these individuals were still professionals however, there wasn't any real grassroots organisation shown.
Having taken a more grounded approach for most of the programme however, there was then a twenty minute discussion of the benefits of marriage. According to Paul Omerond (an economist) the nuclear family arrangement appears to be a highly evolved means of bringing up children, one that has been replicated around the world. Historically, however, most families have been extended and a part of a wider community. It seems unlikely that the nuclear family could survive wider societal pressures, and it is problematic to privilege it for this reason. This approach tends to blame the parents and absolve society of its wider responsibilities. Harry Benson, an interviewee on the programme, also raised the possibility that the evidence that shows that married couples stay together, could be that it could be due to the level of commitment of the couple, not necessarily their married status as such. Tinkering with the tax system, or government expressing a preference for marriage, is unlikely to solve society's problems.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ls7fk
This part benefited from the narrator, John Ware, going round the country to look at ways in which communities have tried to solve their problems. This generally meant that the programme avoided the problems with part one, which seemed to flit from talking about incivility as a general problem, and the breakdown of community in the poorest neighbourhoods. The programme noted that there was a problem with troubled communities looking solely to the police to solve their problems and hinted that it may be inspirational individuals who may be the best hope for repairing social bonds. Most inspiring was the headteacher of Harrogate Primary School who threw out the national curriculum guidelines when it was clear that they were failing and turned around her school as a result. Most of these individuals were still professionals however, there wasn't any real grassroots organisation shown.
Having taken a more grounded approach for most of the programme however, there was then a twenty minute discussion of the benefits of marriage. According to Paul Omerond (an economist) the nuclear family arrangement appears to be a highly evolved means of bringing up children, one that has been replicated around the world. Historically, however, most families have been extended and a part of a wider community. It seems unlikely that the nuclear family could survive wider societal pressures, and it is problematic to privilege it for this reason. This approach tends to blame the parents and absolve society of its wider responsibilities. Harry Benson, an interviewee on the programme, also raised the possibility that the evidence that shows that married couples stay together, could be that it could be due to the level of commitment of the couple, not necessarily their married status as such. Tinkering with the tax system, or government expressing a preference for marriage, is unlikely to solve society's problems.
Sunday, 19 July 2009
The Death of Respect
Part 1 of the Panorama documentary "Death of Respect" examines the changes that have led to the decline of Britain's moral fabric.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00ls7h7/Death_of_Respect_Episode_1/
This is a very extensive documentary which looks at many aspects of the widespead perception that there is a decline in civility across society. However, there was a tension between the broader argument that the collapse in respect is society wide and the findings of the academics interviewed, which showed that better off are more trusting, better connected and more civil. It is among the very poor that these things have collapsed. This makes the Bishop's remarks that it is the sign of a broken society that he waves to his neighbours, but doesn't engage with them, seem misplaced.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00ls7h7/Death_of_Respect_Episode_1/
This is a very extensive documentary which looks at many aspects of the widespead perception that there is a decline in civility across society. However, there was a tension between the broader argument that the collapse in respect is society wide and the findings of the academics interviewed, which showed that better off are more trusting, better connected and more civil. It is among the very poor that these things have collapsed. This makes the Bishop's remarks that it is the sign of a broken society that he waves to his neighbours, but doesn't engage with them, seem misplaced.
Thursday, 7 May 2009
The Future of Community Panel Discussion
Forthcoming Event:
The Future of Community Panel Discussion
with
Alastair Donald, Stuart Waiton, Penny Lewis on
The Future of Community: Reports of a Death Greatly Exaggerated
WATERSTONE'S GLASGOW SAUCHIEHALL
153-157 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3EW
Wednesday, 13 May 2009, 6:30PM - 8:00PM
Tickets are free, available from the branch.
Join Alastair Donald, Stuart Waiton and Penny Lewis for a topical discussion about the meaning of community in 21st Century Britain. Chaired by Professor Howard Sercombe of Strathclyde University.
Further details: 0141 332 9105
http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayDetailEvent.do?searchType=2&store=85WATERSTONE
The Future of Community Panel Discussion
with
Alastair Donald, Stuart Waiton, Penny Lewis on
The Future of Community: Reports of a Death Greatly Exaggerated
WATERSTONE'S GLASGOW SAUCHIEHALL
153-157 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3EW
Wednesday, 13 May 2009, 6:30PM - 8:00PM
Tickets are free, available from the branch.
Join Alastair Donald, Stuart Waiton and Penny Lewis for a topical discussion about the meaning of community in 21st Century Britain. Chaired by Professor Howard Sercombe of Strathclyde University.
Further details: 0141 332 9105
http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayDetailEvent.do?searchType=2&store=85WATERSTONE
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