A working paper provided a theoretical analysis of altruism, and examined its links with the promotion of active civil society.
Source: Anne Birgitta Yeung, In Search of a Good Society: Introduction to altruism theories and their links with civil society, Voluntary Sector Working Paper 25, Centre for Civil Society/London School of Economics (020 7955 7205)
Links: Paper
Date: 2006-Dec
An article examined moves to create 'active citizens' in Wales. It said that true citizenship required a platform for dissent and criticism that might be absent in the existing political climate of consensus. Concerns were raised about the funding of voluntary activity and the drive toward the professionalization of voluntary and community groups. Questions were also raised about the extent to which involvement in volunteering was translated into political activity.
Source: Lesley Hodgson, 'Citizenship, civil society and community in Wales', Contemporary Wales, Volume 18 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Nov
The education inspectorate said that the teaching of citizenship in schools in England was improving: but in around 25 per cent of schools inspected in 2005-06 the provision was found to be inadequate. It highlighted the importance of - but also the lack of - specialist teachers.
Source: Towards Consensus? Citizenship in secondary schools, HMI 2666, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: Report | Citizenship Foundation press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Sep
The education inspectorate in Scotland described practice in schools and pre-school centres in the area of citizenship education.
Source: Education for Citizenship, HM Inspectorate of Education in Scotland (01506 600200)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Sep
An article examined progress towards a closer relation between civil society and the National Assembly for Wales. It explored anxieties that, in the pursuit of improved governance for Wales, the Assembly might become too directive.
Source: Graham Day, 'Chasing the dragon? Devolution and the ambiguities of civil society in Wales', Critical Social Policy, Volume 26 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Aug
A scoping report was published on the future of civil society. It examined civil society in its various organized forms - trades unions, faith groups, co-operatives and mutuals, as well as the voluntary and community sector - and their relationships with government and the public sector, and with business and the market sector. It also examined informal civil society, and its role in society beyond the private and family sphere.
Source: Siobhan Daly with Jude Howell, For the Common Good? The changing role of civil society in the UK and Ireland, Carnegie UK Trust (01383 721445)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Jul
An article called for a broader and bolder approach to citizenship education in schools. It described the Crick report (which laid the basis for citizenship education in England) as "naive" and "contradictory".
Source: Keith Faulks, 'Rethinking citizenship education in England: some lessons from contemporary social and political theory', Improving Schools, Volume 9 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Jul
A biennial survey examined a range of community-based issues, including views about the local area, racial and religious prejudice, and discrimination. 80 per cent of people in England and Wales in 2005 felt that their local area was a place where people from different backgrounds got on well together. This proportion was unchanged from 2003.
Source: Sarah Kitchen, Juliet Michaelson, Natasha Wood and Peter John, 2005 Citizenship Survey: Cross-cutting themes, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236)
Links: Cross-cutting report | Active communities topic report | Community cohesion topic report | Race and faith topic report | DCLG press release
Date: 2006-Jun
A report said that most of the elements of civil society s structure in Northern Ireland were well developed: but there was quite low participation in collective community and non-partisan political actions.
Source: J. McCarron, Civil Society in Northern Ireland: A new beginning?, Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (028 9087 7777)
Links: Report | NICVA press release
Date: 2006-Jun
The Chancellor of the Exchequer said that immigrants to the United Kingdom should "play by the rules" and learn to speak English in order to get work.
Source: Radio interview with Gordon Brown MP (Chancellor of the Exchequer), 5 June 2006 Links: BBC report
Date: 2006-Jun
A report examined the activities of local authorities in supporting citizen participation in local democracy.
Source: Rhys Andrews, Richard Cowell, James Downe and Steve Martin, with Dave Turner, Supporting Effective Citizenship at Local Authority Level, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236)
Date: 2006-May
An article examined the aims and practice of active citizenship in England. It set out the key concepts and gave an account of the developing policy agenda in crime, regeneration and housing, education, health, and local government. The policy context and the causal relationships involved were often more complex than advocates claimed.
Source: Tessa Brannan, Peter John and Gerry Stoker, 'Active citizenship and effective public services and programmes: how can we know what really works?', Urban Studies, Volume 43 Number 6
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-May
A paper examined the role of non-state actors in regulation. While it had some advantages over state regulation, self-regulation by civil society organizations was open to abuse and was marked by lack of accountability.
Source: Bridget Hutter, The Role of Non-state Actors in Regulation, Centre for Analysis of Risk and Regulation/London School of Economics (020 7955 6577)
Links: Paper
Date: 2006-May
A report recommended publicizing the links between active citizenship in schools and wider participation in civil renewal agendas beyond schools; offering a more co-ordinated approach to active citizenship at a local level; ensuring there was appropriate training for adults and young people; and providing ?joined up? opportunities and experiences for young people which enabled real engagement with decision-making processes.
Source: Eleanor Ireland, David Kerr, Joana Lopes and Julie Nelson with Elizabeth Cleaver, Active Citizenship and Young People: Opportunities, experiences and challenges in and beyond school, Research Report 732, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Date: 2006-May
A government minister said that schoolchildren should be taught "traditional British values" as part of an attempt to challenge extremism and promote a more cohesive society. All children aged 11-16 would learn about free speech and democracy in the United Kingdom, as well as the contribution made by different communities.
Source: Speech by Bill Rammell MP (Minister of State for Higher Education and Lifelong Learning), 15 May 2006
Links: Text of speech | Guardian report
Date: 2006-May
An evaluation report examined an initiative that aimed to enable people to gain the confidence, know-how, and skills to engage with public bodies and influence services. The results included increased confidence and skills among groups such as migrant workers, Asian women, people with learning disabilities and their carers, and others in disadvantaged and hard-to-reach communities.
Source: Marjorie Mayo and Alison Rooke, Active Learning for Active Citizenship, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236)
Links: Report | DCLG press release
Date: 2006-May
A paper set out the background and context for a debate on the definition, role, and practice of active citizenship. Different traditions, even within the same country, could significantly affect the ways in which citizenship and active citizenship were defined and understood.
Source: Julie Nelson and David Kerr, Active Citizenship: Definitions, goals and practices, Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (020 7509 5555)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-May
A think-tank report said that more could be done to encourage civic life and increase public engagement in political life. Although poverty and inequality and community strength helped shape levels of political participation, they did not determine them. The way institutions worked, and the way those in charge behaved, made a difference to whether people chose to participate.
Source: Vivien Lowndes, Lawrence Pratchett and Gerry Stoker, Locality Matters: Making participation count in local politics, Institute for Public Policy Research, available from Central Books (0845 458 9911)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-May
A think-tank report said that new citizens needed to more visibly ?earn? their citizenship through tests and probationary periods. It also argued that there needed to be a clearer link between citizenship and welfare entitlement for all citizens if the solidarities underpinning the welfare state were to be preserved.
Source: David Goodhart, Progressive Nationalism: Citizenship and the left, Demos, available from Central Books (020 8986 5488)
Date: 2006-May
A think-tank report said that countries with higher levels of cultural engagement also had higher levels of social and institutional trust. People who participated in cultural activities were more likely than the average citizen to believe that other people were fair, helpful and can be trusted, and to have trust in the police, legal system, politicians and Parliament.
Source: Emily Keaney, From Access to Participation: Cultural policy and civil renewal, Institute for Public Policy Research (020 7470 6100)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Mar
An article examined emerging tensions in the management of welfare. It said that proposals for welfare reform, particularly retirement pensions, hinged on their ability to promote the idea of the 'consumer citizen' and to undermine traditional ideas of citizenship rights.
Source: Kirk Mann, 'Three steps to heaven? Tensions in the management of welfare: retirement pensions and active consumers', Journal of Social Policy, Volume 35 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Jan
A report examined the potential contribution of government citizen partnerships to the development of safe neighbourhoods.
Source: Anthony Bottoms and Andrew Wilson, Report on Sheffield University Civil Renewal Research, Active Citizenship Centre/Home Office (duncan.prime@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk)
Date: 2006-Jan
An article said that the conceptual weaknesses and contradictions of the 1998 Crick Report's model of citizenship education had contributed to the ineffective adoption of the subject into the secondary school curriculum in England.
Source: Keith Faulks, 'Education for citizenship in England's secondary schools: a critique of current principle and practice', Journal of Education Policy, Volume 21 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Jan