“Bringing heaven down to earth”: the purpose and place of religion in UK food aid

an article by Madeleine Power, Bob Doherty and Kate E. Pickett (University of York, UK) and Neil Small and Barbara Stewart-Knox (University of Bradford, UK) published in Social Enterprise Journal Volume 13 Issue 3 (2017)

Abstract

Purpose
This paper uses data from a city with a multi-ethnic, multi-faith population to better understand faith-based food aid. The paper aims to understand what constitutes faith-based responses to food insecurity, compare the prevalence and nature of faith-based food aid across different religions and explore how community food aid meets the needs of a multi-ethnic, multi-faith population.

Design/methodology/approach
The study involved two phases of primary research. In Phase 1, desk-based research and dialogue with stakeholders in local food security programmes were used to identify faith-based responses to food insecurity. Phase 2 consisted of 18 semi-structured interviews involving faith-based and secular charitable food aid organizations.

Findings
The paper illustrates the internal heterogeneity of faith-based food aid. Faith-based food aid is highly prevalent and the vast majority is Christian. Doctrine is a key motivation among Christian organizations for their provision of food. The fact that the clients at faith-based, particularly Christian, food aid did not reflect the local religious demographic is a cause for concern in light of the entry-barriers identified. This concern is heightened by the co-option of faith-based organizations by the state as part of the “Big Society” agenda.

Originality/value
This is the first academic study in the UK to look at the faith-based arrangements of Christian and Muslim food aid providers, to set out what it means to provide faith-based food aid in the UK and to explore how faith-based food aid interacts with people of other religions and no religion.

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Neoliberalism and violence: The Big Society and the changing politics of domestic violence in England

an article by Armine Ishkanian (London School of Economics, England)published in Critical Social Policy Volume 34 Number 3 (August 2014)

Abstract

Focusing on the domestic violence sector as a case study, this article examines how the Big Society agenda, coming alongside public spending cuts, is affecting the independence and ability of women’s organizations to engage in progressive policy shaping.

By situating the analysis of the Big Society agenda within the broader context of international civil society strengthening programmes, the article considers how the processes currently unfolding in England, share certain similarities to what has happened globally wherever neoliberal policies aimed at instrumentalizing civil society for service delivery have been implemented.

It contends that the policies of the Big Society agenda, which are aimed at strengthening the ‘capacity’ of civil society, are instead creating a situation where the independence and ability of civil society organizations to engage in progressive policy making is weakened.

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Decoupling the state and the third sector? The 'big Society' as a spontaneous order

an article by Rob Macmillan published in Voluntary Sector Review Volume 4 Number 2 (July 2013) and also as Third Sector Research Centre: Working Paper 101

Abstract

Despite a largely indifferent and otherwise sceptical public reception, the 'Big Society' has remained a central feature of the Conservative-led coalition*rsquo;s project in the United Kingdom.

This article asks what the Big Society might mean for the 'third sector' of voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises. The previous Labour government’s approach has been characterised as the development of a closer 'partnership' between state and the third sector.

However, a partial decoupling may now be underway in the new political and economic context. Theoretically, this might signal a shift away from the idea of interdependence between the state and the third sector, and towards a model involving separate spheres: from partnership to an emergent 'trial separation'.

The article draws on Friedrich Hayek's theory of 'spontaneous order', suggesting that the Big Society involves some implicit Hayekian assumptions.

It concludes by considering the implications of regarding the third sector in such terms.

Full text of the Working Paper(PDF 21pp)

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The big society: Rediscovery of ‘the social’ or rhetorical fig-leaf for neo-liberalism?

an article by Steve Corbett and Alan Walker (University of Sheffield, UK) published in Critical Social Policy Volume 33 Number 3 (August 2013)

Abstract

This paper subjects to critical scrutiny the idea of the ‘big society’ which, at present, is the UK Coalition government’s big idea and the personal mission of the Prime Minister David Cameron.

First of all the concept is explained, with reference to some of the rhetoric surrounding it. Then the philosophical foundations of the ‘big society’ are unpacked, with particular reference to Red Toryism and libertarian paternalism. This is followed by an assessment of the big society and reference to the other major plank in the government’s social policy agenda, large cuts in public expenditure, that reflects the neo-liberal engine driving the strategy – the hollowing-out of the state – which has implications for the community initiatives and NGOs favoured by the big society’s promoters but which are entirely unacknowledged by them.

Then a comparison is made between the present big society idea and Margaret Thatcher’s denial of the existence of society, which reveals many similarities in substance despite the rhetorical distancing. The final part of the paper examines the parallel Blue Labour analysis and suggests an alternative participatory democratic approach.

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Social innovation: An exploration of the barriers faced by innovating organizations in the social economy

an article by Dominic Chalmers (University of Strathclyde, UK) published in Local Economy Volume 28 Number 1 (February 2013)

Abstract

Social and community-based organisations are increasingly viewed as wellsprings of valuable social innovations.

Government policies, most notably David Cameron’s Big Society initiative, have entrenched the concept of localism across the UK, and the move towards smaller government has placed the onus on communities to creatively tackle their own problems.

While antecedent research on social innovation has largely concentrated on success stories, few have stopped to consider the profound nature of this shift and the operational obstacles it may pose for small resource-constrained organisations.

This article seeks to contribute to current debates on social innovation by critically reviewing extant literature and proposing a model of ‘open’ social innovation.

Furthermore, it serves as a tool to stimulate further discussion around the ‘opening up’ of the social innovation process and raises some timely questions about the efficacy of localism policy measures.

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Incredible Edible – social and environmental entrepreneurship in the era of the “Big Society”

John Thompson (The Business School, University of Huddersfield, UK) Social Enterprise Journal Volume 8 Issue 3 (2012)

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this case study is to allow the exploration of social entrepreneurship, environmental improvement and volunteering in the context of the UK’s declared Big Society. Recently, there has been increased interest in “environmental” as well as social entrepreneurship. Volunteering is also an area of growing concern in policy circles, particularly with the advent of the “Big Society”, the UK Government’s vision of citizen involvement.
Design/methodology/approach
The case was written with both secondary and primary data and with the co-operation of Incredible Edible. Primary data include street questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders.
Findings
Incredible Edible is an environmental initiative started in Todmorden, West Yorkshire. Basically community members – largely volunteers – have looked for opportunities where they could plant and grow fruits and vegetables that others could just help themselves to. Any spare land and space has been seen as suitable. From this the themes of local food growing and self sufficiency have taken over. Over a (short) period of years the initiative has grown and received considerable support from local stakeholders as well as extensive publicity. The initiative has attracted attention elsewhere and not just in the UK. But its real impact has been on the community and its sense of place.
Practical implications
The data have been used (so far) to write a case that traces the journey of the people behind the initiative, their motives and their impact. It explores a number of themes, namely:

• social entrepreneurship in action;
• improving the local environment aesthetically;
• the Big Society and volunteering;
• the local economic and social impacts – a new sense of place;
• improved diets and healthy eating – but also the impact on other local businesses which sell rival food products;
• how local successes can be replicated elsewhere; and
• the sustainability of initiatives such as this.

Originality/value
The case demonstrates five important themes that could be seen as a litmus test for the effectiveness of projects and initiatives in the Big Society – namely the presence and commitment of a visionary who provides the purpose and direction, volunteers, velocity – and emergence, visibility, and value.

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De-collectivization and employment problems: the experiences of minority ethnic workers seeking help through Citizens Advice

an article by Jane Holgate (University of Leeds, UK), Anna Pollert (University of West of England, UK) and Janroj Keles and Leena Kumarappan (London Metropolitan University, UK) published in Work Employment & Society Volume 26 Number 5 (October 2012)

Abstract

This article draws on a study of the experiences of (primarily non-unionised) minority ethnic workers in seeking advice and support for employment problems in the context of the de-collectivisation of employment relations in Britain.

It focuses on one of the main recourses identified in the research, the Citizens Advice Bureau, its relationship with community organisations and with trade unions.

Workers’ testimonies about their experiences of help with workplace grievances are supplemented with views of advice providers, community-based organisations and trade unionists.

Findings illuminate the specific experiences of minority ethnic workers, as well as similarities with majority ethnic non-unionised workers and highlight the paucity of individual employment advice and a growing crisis for workers’ rights with the decline in collective union representation.

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‘Regulating the Poor’: Observations on the ‘Structural Coupling’ of Welfare, Criminal Justice and the Voluntary Sector in a ‘Big Society’

an article by John J. Rodger (University of the West of Scotland) published in Social Policy & Administration (Special Issue: Crime and Social Policy) Volume 46 Issue 4 (August 2012)

Abstract

The article argues that the criminalising tendency in contemporary social policy gets to the heart of how contemporary welfare systems work today. Analyses which point to criminalizing social policy (Rodger 2008), governing through crime (Simon 2007), cultures of control (Garland 2001) and the penalisation of the poor (Wacquant 2009) all focus on what I will argue is actually the normal working of contemporary Western welfare systems.

In the face of autonomous global economic processes, and largely uncontrollable macro-economic systems which place governments in a subordinate relationship to global financial forces, governance of present-day society is increasingly focused on the management of the behavioural dispositions of populations.

In order to make these key themes and relationships visible, the article draws on Niklas Luhmann’s functional structural systems theory and his concept of structural coupling to theorise the emerging policy relationships between the welfare system, the criminal justice system and civil society.

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How Are We Doing? A Multiple Constituency Approach to Civic Association Effectiveness

an article by Kyu-Nahm Jun (Wayne State University, Detroit, USA) and Ellen Shiau (University of Southern California, Los Angeles) published in Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly Volume 41 Number 4 (August 2012)

Abstract

Increased citizen participation in policy processes through voluntary civic associations warrants an analysis of their effectiveness, which this article undertakes using a multiple constituency framework.

We find a gap in the literature on nonprofit effectiveness where theoretical and empirical studies have mainly focused on organizations that directly provide tangible goods and services. We propose a multiple constituency approach to evaluate and understand the implications for assessing the organizational effectiveness of community-based advisory civic associations.

We empirically analyze the evaluation of Los Angeles neighborhood councils by three different constituency groups – citizen participants, street-level bureaucrats, and city council staffs. We find that the effectiveness ratings of the constituency groups are dissimilar on different dimensions of effectiveness. These findings suggest that the multiple constituency framework holds theoretical and practical value for understanding the organizational effectiveness of voluntary associations, where the different goals of various stakeholders lead to different views on effectiveness.

Hazel’s comment:
I pondered for a while about this one but then realised that although the research may have taken place in the USA it could be applicable to anywhere in the world. Citizen organisations are not only about tangible outcomes (e.g. food banks) but are also about increased well-being and social integration.
Careers information is not only about labour markets and occupations, education and training, it is also about lifestyle choices and inclusiveness.

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The Big Society, values and co-operation

an article by Fiona Wilson and Donald MacLean (University of Glasgow) published in Work, Employment & Society Volume 26 Number 3 (June 2012)

Abstract

In a context of government promotion of co-operatives, a growth in the co-operative economy, and in times when use of the term ‘co-operative’ appears to have broadened to include any form of employee ownership, this article sets out a research agenda for exploring producer co-operatives, focusing on what co-operation means to those who work in them.

Based on exploratory research in three producer co-operatives, the article argues that the values and principles are being used so liberally that co-operatives have a very wide appeal, making co-operation attractive to a wide spectrum of political ideals and values – perhaps surprisingly, those associated with individualism alongside those of co-operation.

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From the alternative society to the Big Society? …

Voluntary organisations and drug services in Britain, 1960s-2010s

 an article by Alex Mold published in Voluntary Sector Review Volume 3 Number 1 (March 2012)

Abstract

This article presents an overview of the changing nature of voluntary action in Britain from the 1960s to the present.

The late 1960s and early 1970s saw a dramatic upswing in voluntary activity. Many new groups were established, some with connections to the alternative society. By the 1980s, the value of these organisations was apparent to those in the mainstream as well as those outside it, something that can be seen in increased government funding for voluntary groups working in the drugs field and more broadly.

Indeed, during the 1990s and 2000s, voluntary organisations became a key part of the mixed economy of provision in health and social care. Recent calls for the strengthening of the 'Big Society' point to an ever-more important role for voluntary organisations, but many questions can be raised about the impact that close relations between the state and the voluntary sector has for both parties.

Hazel’s comment:
It’s not only this article that raises issues about the relationship between the state and the voluntary organisations that deliver services that many perceive to be the responsibility of the state. When all is said and done it is the person who pays the piper who can call the tune.

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Big Society contractors? Big questions for voluntary organisations

an article by Andrew J. Purkis [author affiliation not stated] published in Voluntary Sector Review Volume 3 Number 1 (March 2012 )

Abstract

The experience of housing associations (HAs) has not been taken into account in many of the discussions about the transfer of responsibility for delivering public services from statutory bodies to voluntary agencies.

This article addresses this omission by reviewing the recent history of the larger HAs. It addresses six [sic] key issues that might yield lessons for other voluntary organisations considering invitations to become mass service contractors in the 'Big Society': independence;

• user satisfaction and empowerment;
• the ability to tackle needs flexibly across the boundaries with other agencies;
• involvement in campaigning;
• recognition as part of civil society; and
• their ability to nurture the spirit of volunteering and giving.

The article concludes by suggesting the questions that voluntary organisations should ask themselves before embracing the new role that is being urged on them.

Hazel’s comment:
This article is about housing association but it could equally be about X-town library service. There is a steep learning curve for organisations here – not least of which are the provision of a public service and working to a contract. Conflicts of interest may well occur.

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