An article said that if the coalition government's rhetorical commitment to a shift from a 'Big State' to a 'Big Society' were implemented, it might well flounder due to its inability to reconcile the centrifugal forces of devolution and localism with the centripetal forces of political accountability and public expectation. Without a more aggressive, sophisticated, and honest approach to accountability, the 'Big Society' was likely to forge an even 'Bigger State'.
Source: Matthew Flinders and David Moon, 'The problem of letting go: the "Big Society", accountable governance and "the curse of the decentralizing minister"', Local Economy, Volume 26 Number 8
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Dec
An article examined levels of civic engagement among different groups of young people living in areas of socio-economic disadvantage. Young people needed to benefit from genuine opportunities to develop self-efficacy if they were to respond to the demands of 'Big Society' aspirations for localized decision-making.
Source: Carolynne Mason, Hilary Cremin, Paul Warwick, and Tom Harrison, 'Learning to (dis)engage? The socialising experiences of young people living in areas of socio-economic disadvantage', British Journal of Educational Studies, Volume 59 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Dec
A report by a committee of MPs said that the coalition government's 'Big Society' project was hampered by the lack of a clear implementation plan, leading to public confusion about the policy agenda. The project by its very nature required substantial change in Whitehall and to the nature of government.
Source: The Big Society, Seventeenth Report (Session 2010-12), HC 902, House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee, TSO
Links: Report | Additional written evidence | BHA press release | NAVCA press release | NCVO press release | Unite press release | BBC report | Guardian report | Public Finance report
Date: 2011-Dec
A new book examined the civic resources that the European Union might need in order to become both effective and legitimate – focusing on trust, solidarity, mutual recognition, and citizens social and political participation.
Source: Viktoria Kaina and Ireneusz Pawel Karolewski (eds.), Civic Resources and the Future of the European Union, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2011-Dec
An article examined the rationale for, and interconnexions between, the coalition government's objectives for the 'Big Society', 'localism', and a 'rebalanced economy'. It explored the prospects for achieving each objective in a weak economic period, particularly in more deprived local areas. It also considered the links between the idea of the 'Big Society' and social capital literature: both were jeopardized by poor understanding and by the reducing role of the local and central state.
Source: Andy Westwood, 'Localism, social capital and the "Big Society"', Local Economy, Volume 26 Number 8
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Dec
A think-tank report said that there was a 'disconnect' between political narratives of patriotism and ordinary citizens' pride in Britain. It highlighted the links between greater levels of patriotism and civic pride and pro-social attitudes and behaviours – those who loved their country most were shown to volunteer more and to trust their neighbours more than those who were either ambivalent or ashamed about Britain.
Source: Max Wind-Cowie and Thomas Gregory, A Place for Pride, Demos
Date: 2011-Nov
An article examined the content of citizenship tests in a range of European countries (including the United Kingdom). Neither any hypothesis from the existing citizenship and civic integration literature, nor the characteristics of a citizenship policy regime, could explain the content of all the tests.
Source: Ines Michalowski, 'Required to assimilate? The content of citizenship tests in five countries', Citizenship Studies, Volume 15 Issue 6-7
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Nov
A paper examined the usefulness of indicators for comparing citizenship policies in different countries in Europe.
Source: Rainer Baubock and Marc Helbling (eds.), Which Indicators Are Most Useful for Comparing Citizenship Policies?, Working Paper 2011/54, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute (Florence)
Links: Paper
Date: 2011-Nov
A think-tank report examined what was known about civility from a range of disciplines. Civility was the largely invisible 'glue' that held communities together: experiences of incivility caused hurt, stress, and deeper social problems, and had a bigger impact on people's sense of social health than crime statistics. Civility was something that people still cared deeply about wherever they lived: but long-term trends were making civility harder to maintain.
Source: Phoebe Griffith, Will Norman, Carmel O'Sullivan, and Rushanara Ali, Charm Offensive: Cultivating civility in 21st century Britain, Young Foundation
Links: Report | Summary | Guardian report
Date: 2011-Oct
An article examined the relationship between policies on naturalization and education. Policymakers' conceptions of 'successful' citizenship integration were based on limited conceptions of both citizenship and learning.
Source: Dina Kiwan, ' "National" citizenship in the UK? Education and naturalization policies in the context of internal division', Ethnicities, Volume 11 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Oct
An article examined variations in associational involvement across European countries. Extensive welfare state expenditures reduced participatory inequalities, with some variation according to the kind of organization under study. The conditioning effects of welfare states deserved greater attention in research, and participatory inequalities might be reduced by social policy.
Source: Erik van Ingen and Tom van der Meer, ' Welfare state expenditure and inequalities in voluntary association participation', Journal of European Social Policy, Volume 21 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Oct
A think-tank report said that a 'responsible society' could only be achieved by the creation of open, imaginative, and wide-ranging democratic relationships – an 'everyday democracy'. The coalition government's 'Big Society' strategy had almost instantly collapsed into the crudest of market-driven privatizations. What was needed instead was a spirit of mutual responsibility, where people worked with each other across social boundaries and forged new relationships with each other.
Source: Marc Stears, Everyday Democracy: Taking centre-left politics beyond state and market, Institute for Public Policy Research
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Sep
A new book examined the impact of labour market activation policies on social citizenship in western European societies.
Source: Sigrid Betzelt and Silke Bothfeld (eds.), Activation and Labour Market Reforms in Europe: Challenges to social citizenship, Palgrave Macmillan
Links: Summary
Date: 2011-Sep
A research project examined how and why people participated (broadly defined); how their involvement changed over time; and what pathways, if any, existed between different activities. It highlighted the importance of institutions and organizations in creating an environment in which participation could flourish – such as linking up people with similar interests or concerns and providing spaces or multi-purpose hubs for people to come together.
Source: Ellie Brodie, Tim Hughes, Veronique Jochum, Sarah Miller, Nick Ockenden, and Diane Warburton, Pathways Through Participation: What creates and sustains active citizenship?, National Council for Voluntary Organisations/Institute for Volunteering Research/Involve
Links: Report | Summary | NCVO press release
Date: 2011-Sep
A paper said that 31 per cent of the population provided 87 per cent of volunteer hours; and that volunteers were likely to be middle-aged, well educated, and based in prosperous areas. This 'civic core' also provided 79 per cent of charitable giving. There were fewer voluntary organizations per head in more deprived areas, and those organizations were also more likely to be reliant on public funding: thus the areas with fewest registered third sector organizations were also likely to be in areas most at risk from funding reductions.
Source: John Mohan, Mapping the Big Society: Perspectives from the Third Sector Research Centre, Working Paper 62, Third Sector Research Centre
Links: Paper | TSRC press release
Date: 2011-Aug
A new book examined the history of voluntarism over the previous century, and drew lessons for the coalition government's 'Big Society' project.
Source: Matthew Hilton and James McKay (eds.), The Ages of Voluntarism: How we got to the Big Society, Oxford University Press
Links: Summary
Date: 2011-Aug
A report provided an overview of evidence about civic engagement and community control, and the ability of communities – particularly more deprived communities – to meet the emerging challenge of building the 'Big Society'.
Source: Rebecca Tunstall, Ruth Lupton, Anne Power, and Liz Richardson, Building the Big Society, CASEreport 67, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion (London School of Economics)
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Aug
An article examined the possible connexion between the influence of communitarianism on New Labour's ideology and the content of citizenship education in England and Wales.
Source: Andrew Dunn and Diana Burton, 'New Labour, communitarianism and citizenship education in England and Wales', Education, Citizenship and Social Justice, Volume 6 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Aug
A report examined the scope for a new model for measuring active citizenship – the presence or absence of key mechanisms and social assets driving participation. Local policymakers needed a new way of measuring active citizenship – one that could identify both 'civic assets' as well as areas of 'civic need' within communities, and that could be used to fashion appropriate interventions to stimulate levels of participation.
Source: Sam McLean and Benedict Dellot, The Civic Pulse: Measuring active citizenship in a cold climate, Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Jul
An article examined the implications of the New Deal for Communities (NDC) Programme (launched by the previous Labour government in 1998) for community-level decision making, a theme central to the coalition government's 'Big Society'. The NDC experience pointed to problems including: intra-community strife, lack of engagement, and incorrect perceptions by community representatives about the scale of local problems.
Source: Paul Lawless, 'Big Society and community: lessons from the 1998- 2011 New Deal for Communities Programme in England', People, Place & Policy, Volume 5 Issue 2
Links: Article
Date: 2011-Jul
An article examined the barriers to participation that prevented households from doing more for others in their community. It said that social barriers and capital-based barriers to participation in mutual aid needed to be given more equal consideration in future policy-making.
Source: Richard White, 'Re-visiting the barriers to participation in mutual aid', International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Volume 31 Issue 7/8
Links: Table of contents
Date: 2011-Jul
A think-tank report said that ethnic minorities feared that the 'Big Society' would fuel racial tensions. Particular concerns were raised regarding the coalition government's policies of free schools and elected police commissioners, with some arguing that these initiatives had the potential to increase segregation.
Source: Kamaljeet Gill and Kjartan Sveinsson, Fair's Fair: Equality and justice in the Big Society , Runnymede Trust
Links: Report | Runnymede Trust press release
Date: 2011-Jul
A think-tank report examined the state of civic life and described what in practical terms was required to get more people involved. It set out a range of measures aimed at removing barriers to community participation; supporting better civic involvement; and encouraging companies to redesign their corporate social responsibility strategies.
Source: Richard Wilson and Matt Leach with Oli Henman, Henry Tam, and Jouna Ukkonen, Civic Limits: How much more involved can people get?, ResPublica
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Jul
A report examined attitudes to sharing. Over one-half of those surveyed wanted to find ways of being able to share their time and resources within their local community.
Source: Rachel Griffiths, The Great Sharing Economy: A report into sharing across the UK, Co-operatives UK
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Jul
A think-tank report said that there was no strong link between a local community's level of affluence and its 'Big Society' resources, with some deprived areas comparatively rich in 'community wealth'. Communities faced with 'double deprivation' – those lacking both financial wealth and community resources such as volunteering – should be targeted for extra help to cope with the withdrawal of traditional state services.
Source: Nigel Keohane, Simon Parker, and Dan Ebanks, Realising Community Wealth: Local government and the Big Society, New Local Government Network
Links: Summary | NLGN press release
Date: 2011-Jun
A think-tank report said that children and their families were at risk of being overlooked by the coalition government's 'Big Society' and localism agendas. It highlighted the progress made over the previous two decades on family policy: but it said that too little had been done to put children at the centre of the vision for communities. Developing trusted relationships and networks for children and young people was fundamental to their development, well-being, and safety. Social capital for children and young people could keep children safe, transform neighbourhoods, break intergenerational cycles of neglect and deprivation, and prevent problems escalating.
Source: Duncan Fisher and Sandra Gruescu, Children and the Big Society: Backing communities to keep the next generation safe and happy, ResPublica
Links: Report | Community Care report | Guardian report
Date: 2011-Jun
A report said that the coalition government's efforts to build the 'Big Society' were too focused on citizen-led service delivery. An approach based on utilizing and building people's social networks, which largely determined people's ability to create change and influence decisions that affected them, might prove more effective.
Source: Gaia Marcus, Thomas Neumark, and Steve Broome, Power Lines, Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Jun
An article examined why people participated in civic and community-based activity. It set out four categories of citizen orientation that might influence participation: trust in government institutions, moral motivations, neighbourhood social norms, and 'neighbourhood affect'. Neighbourhood affect – having positive feelings about the neighbourhood – had a positive effect on civic behaviour.
Source: Peter John, Edward Fieldhouse, and Hanhua Liu, 'How civic is the civic culture? Explaining community participation using the 2005 English Citizenship Survey', Political Studies, Volume 59 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Jun
An article examined the social benefits of co-operation, based on data from the European Working Conditions and European Social Surveys. High levels of relational and moral goods at work were associated with high levels of civic participation. However, substantial differences were observed between countries.
Source: Helena Lopes and Teresa Calapez, 'Exploring the sources and benefits of cooperation: the role and challenges of relational and moral goods', International Journal of Social Economics, Volume 38 Issue 7
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Jun
A report by a cross-party commission said that the coalition government needed to provide a clear definition of what the 'Big Society' was intended to achieve, and of the role of local councils in it.
Source: Commission on Big Society, Powerful People, Responsible Society, Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations
Links: Report | ACEVO press release | Civil Society report | Guardian report | Public Finance report
Date: 2011-May
A report was published of proceedings at a conference (held in March 2011) to discuss the coalition government's plans for a 'Big Society' – including how it should be defined, financed, and delivered.
Source: Building the Big Society, Reform
Date: 2011-May
An article examined how young people's citizenship practices changed over the course of their adolescence, and considered the implications for researching citizenship and citizenship education.
Source: Avril Keating, Tom Benton, and David Kerr, 'Tracing the trends and transitions in young people's citizenship practices: what are the implications for researching citizenship and citizenship education?', Educational Research, Volume 53 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-May
A think-tank report said that relying on donations from business to provide resources for social action would put areas such as London – where large numbers of big business were headquartered – at a huge advantage. Areas with a weaker private sector were also those where voluntary and community organizations were more reliant on public funding.
Source: Katie Schmuecker, Can the Big Society Be a Fair Society? A north east perspective, Institute for Public Policy Research
Links: Report | IPPR press release | Guardian report
Date: 2011-Apr
A paper examined the concept of European citizenship. Despite certain developments towards granting rights based on 'personhood' and not 'nationhood', institutional practices of European citizenship were heavily dependent on the interface between nation-state and federal arrangements in European Union politics.
Source: Espen Olsen, European Citizenship: With a nation-state, federal, or cosmopolitan twist?, Working Paper 4, Centre for European Studies (University of Oslo)
Links: Paper
Date: 2011-Apr
A report examined the emergence of Welsh civil society in the decade following devolution.
Source: John Osmond (ed.), Growing Wales' Civil Society, Institute of Welsh Affairs
Links: Summary | IWA press release | Carnegie press release
Date: 2011-Mar
An article examined the proposed introduction of a National Citizen Service (NCS). Drawing upon comparisons with state- and private sector-led models of citizen volunteering in Germany and the United States of America, the authors explored the evolving rationale for the introduction of an NCS, and evaluated the issues and pitfalls which might arise.
Source: Andrew Mycock and Jonathan Tonge, 'A big idea for the Big Society? The advent of National Citizen Service', Political Quarterly, Volume 82 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Mar
A paper examined the objectives and implications of citizenship policy, and the concept of citizenship in the United Kingdom in the light of both its historical context and recent policy changes.
Source: Bridget Anderson, Citizenship: What Is It and Why Does It Matter?, Migration Observatory (University of Oxford)
Links: Paper
Date: 2011-Mar
A new book examined the conceptual, normative, and empirical-analytical foundations of European civil society research.
Source: Ulrike Liebert and Hans-Jorg Trenz (eds.), The New Politics of European Civil Society, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2011-Mar
An article examined the challenges to delivering health improvement interventions within the 'Big Society' framework. A step-by-step, supported, and appropriately evaluated approach was essential; and equity of provision across communities and organizations needed to be a primary concern.
Source: Beck Taylor, Jonathan Mathers, Tom Atfield, and Jayne Parry, 'What are the challenges to the Big Society in maintaining lay involvement in health improvement, and how can they be met?', Journal of Public Health, Volume 33 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Mar
An article examined key features of the coalition government's 'Big Society' policies, with particular reference to children and young people, and to the voluntary/community sector working with them. Although there were many positive aspects to the policies, there was a lack of attention to the unique position of children in society, and an inconsistent conceptualization of the voluntary sector on which the policies relied.
Source: Kathy Evans, '"Big society" in the UK: a policy review', Children & Society, Volume 25 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Mar
A briefing paper examined the background to the 'Big Society' concept and the role of the voluntary and community sector.
Source: John Woodhouse, The Big Society and the Voluntary Sector, Standard Note SN/HA/5883, House of Commons Library
Links: Briefing paper
Date: 2011-Feb
An article said that initiatives in English schools to promote children's well-being and empowerment – ostensibly to support the citizenship curriculum – were being undermined by an informal curriculum of citizenship, embedded within the culture of 'performativity'. This was a form of 'symbolic violence' that affected working-class families disproportionately.
Source: Pamela Fisher, 'Performativity, well-being, social class and citizenship in English schools', Educational Studies, Volume 37 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Feb
A think-tank report said that preserving public spaces – such as local playgrounds, parks, and green spaces – was crucial for stimulating social action and realizing the coalition government's vision for the 'Big Society'. Public space acted as a site for the pursuit of social action as well as for discord, debate, and discussion, all of which could lead to the development of valuable citizenship skills.
Source: Stuart MacDonald, 'Big Society': Social Action and the Role of Public Space, Centre for Local Economic Strategies
Links: Report | CLES press release | Groundwork press release
Date: 2011-Feb
An article examined the theoretical principles that the Labour governments (1997-2010) employed in their citizenship and multicultural policies.
Source: Nam-Kook Kima, 'Deliberative multiculturalism in New Labour's Britain', Citizenship Studies, Volume 15 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Feb
A report said that rural communities could and should be a 'test bed' for the further development of the government's 'Big Society' approach – for example, through community asset ownership and management schemes, and peer-to-peer learning networks.
Source: The Rural Big Society, ResPublica/Commission for Rural Communities
Links: Report | ResPublica press release
Date: 2011-Feb
The European Union adopted a regulation making it possible for citizens to call for legislative proposals on a specific issue. The 'European citizens' initiative' would enable citizens to ask the Commission to bring forward legislative proposals if the supporters of an initiative numbered at least 1 million and came from a significant number of member states.
Source: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Citizens' Initiative, European Union
Links: Regulation | Addendum | European Union press release
Date: 2011-Feb
A report examined which English local authorities appeared to have communities that were well placed to take up the challenges of the 'Big Society', and which were likely to need more support.
Source: Richard Sutcliffe and Richard Holt, Who Is Ready for the Big Society?, Consulting Inplace
Links: Report | Summary | Guardian report
Date: 2011-Feb
An article used the concept of the 'pedagogical state' to examine the impact of introducing statutory citizenship education lessons in secondary schools in England in 2002.
Source: Jessica Pykett, 'Citizenship education and narratives of pedagogy', Citizenship Studies, Volume 14 Number 6
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Jan
A report examined the intellectual roots and political context for the new government's 'Big Society' agenda, and how the idea would affect key areas such as housing, poverty, inequality, rural communities, and the environment. It challenged the lack of detail in plans to empower communities, and for public sector reform; and it suggested ways to implement the vision of Big Society successfully.
Source: Marina Stott (ed.), The Big Society Challenge, Keystone Development Trust
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Jan
A new book examined more collaborative, effective, and human ways of working and making decisions, in the context of Paul Hirst's views on associative democracy. Individual chapters covered: associative democracy and the Big Society; associative democracy and local government; associational welfare; democracy in welfare provision; and user engagement in social policy and older people's care.
Source: Andrea Westall (ed.), Revisiting Associative Democracy: How to get more co-operation, co-ordination and collaboration into our economy, our democracy, our public services, and our lives, Lawrence & Wishart
Links: Summary
Date: 2011-Jan
An article said that a process of 'inert rationalization' was taking place in European civil society – in social movements, political parties, and associations. The result of this process could be summed up as 'more organization with fewer people'.
Source: Apostolis Papakostas, 'The rationalization of civil society', Current Sociology, Volume 59 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Jan
An article examined different political views on the European Union citizen rights regime. Disagreement was mainly based on different views about the levels (European, national) at which individuals were to be seen as equals, and about the contribution of different communities and institutions to the good life of citizens, both individually and collectively. The citizen rights regime should be the responsibility of political rather than judicial institutions.
Source: Tore Vincents Olsen, 'The political constitution of the EU citizen rights regime', Journal of European Public Policy, Volume 18 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Jan
An article examined forms of pedagogy evident in notions of citizen empowerment.
Source: Janet Newman, 'Towards a pedagogical state? Summoning the "empowered" citizen', Citizenship Studies, Volume 14 Number 6
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Jan