An article examined the Welsh Assembly Government's consultation on social cohesion strategy. Strong and cohesive communities were presented in the consultation document as both the cause of, and the solution to, social dislocation, although it was implied that cohesive minority communities were really the problem. 'Mixed' communities were proposed as a remedy – although minority populations were already more ethnically mixed than the majority 'white' population. The very wealthy were the most segregated group: but this was not discussed as a problem. The consultation failed to identify those policies which actively undermined social cohesion. Neither 'community' nor cohesion was clearly defined, and ideas of equality were confused with social integration.
Source: Robert Moore, 'The Welsh Assembly Government's social cohesion strategy: a world without sociology?', Contemporary Wales, Volume 23 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Sep
An article drew on a study of Communities First, an area-based regeneration policy in Wales, to explore barriers to community empowerment. These barriers included issues of community capacity, institutional capacity, organizational cultures, and regulatory frameworks. Such barriers could prevail even within a highly participative policy framework such as Communities First.
Source: David Adamson, 'Community empowerment: identifying the barriers to "purposeful" citizen participation', International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Volume 30 Issue 3/4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Apr
