Font Size:
Active citizenship
Last modified: 2010-06-09
Abstract
Research Problem: Interrogating the concept of Active citizenship
Active citizenship involves the empowerment of individuals to shape their rights and obligations through participation in society (Turner, 2001; Touraine, 2000). They are agents of their life chances and the development of society as a whole. For Beck (2000), a new category of work, which he calls ‘civil labour’, opens up new understandings of participation in civil society. Civil labour is evident in the work of third sector organisations. Engagement in third sector organisations, potentially provides a fundamentally important path to citizenship entitlement, one which allows people to participate successfully and take responsibility for their own destiny (Turner, 2001:4).
Research Question: What is missing in these discussions of active citizenship is empirical research which investigates critically the types and expressions of active citizenship in third sector organisations. This study reports evidence relating to the underlying research questions: how do third sector organisations facilitate active citizenship; what kinds of active citizenship are practised in these organisation? Do they reflect a concern for social change, the active defence of threatened values or the maintenance of the status quo? It was also interested in whether active citizenship was local or national or had a wider international scope.
Methodology: The empirical data for this project was drawn from eleven towns in 6 countries. The countries are Australia, England, Netherlands, Russia, Spain, and Sweden. Within each of the six countries, the study attempted to survey third sector organisations within one major regional centre and one small village.
Results: Two major, and apparently contradictory themes emerged from the data. On the one hand, citizens were actively engaged usually in several, organisations. They were well informed about local and global issues, and believed that good citizens are those who work to make the world a better place. They were concerned with issues of disadvantage and social justice, and work towards ameliorating these issues. On the other hand, citizens avoided active engagement in the political process. They prefered to work collaboratively with government and to work at the local level, often within charity or welfare organisations. The first theme provides a theme of active engagement, proactively working for a better world. The second provides a theme of social maintenance of the status quo. The two themes are unpacked and then integrated.
Active citizenship involves the empowerment of individuals to shape their rights and obligations through participation in society (Turner, 2001; Touraine, 2000). They are agents of their life chances and the development of society as a whole. For Beck (2000), a new category of work, which he calls ‘civil labour’, opens up new understandings of participation in civil society. Civil labour is evident in the work of third sector organisations. Engagement in third sector organisations, potentially provides a fundamentally important path to citizenship entitlement, one which allows people to participate successfully and take responsibility for their own destiny (Turner, 2001:4).
Research Question: What is missing in these discussions of active citizenship is empirical research which investigates critically the types and expressions of active citizenship in third sector organisations. This study reports evidence relating to the underlying research questions: how do third sector organisations facilitate active citizenship; what kinds of active citizenship are practised in these organisation? Do they reflect a concern for social change, the active defence of threatened values or the maintenance of the status quo? It was also interested in whether active citizenship was local or national or had a wider international scope.
Methodology: The empirical data for this project was drawn from eleven towns in 6 countries. The countries are Australia, England, Netherlands, Russia, Spain, and Sweden. Within each of the six countries, the study attempted to survey third sector organisations within one major regional centre and one small village.
Results: Two major, and apparently contradictory themes emerged from the data. On the one hand, citizens were actively engaged usually in several, organisations. They were well informed about local and global issues, and believed that good citizens are those who work to make the world a better place. They were concerned with issues of disadvantage and social justice, and work towards ameliorating these issues. On the other hand, citizens avoided active engagement in the political process. They prefered to work collaboratively with government and to work at the local level, often within charity or welfare organisations. The first theme provides a theme of active engagement, proactively working for a better world. The second provides a theme of social maintenance of the status quo. The two themes are unpacked and then integrated.