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UK: Putting Citizens at the Centre: an Overview of Citizenship DRC Research |
Source: |
pathwaysthroughparticipation.org.uk |
Source Date: |
Sunday, October 03, 2010 |
Focus: |
ICT for MDGs
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Country: |
Europe |
Created: |
Oct 04, 2010 |
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The Development Research Centre on Citizenship, Participation and
Accountability (Citizenship DRC) is an international network of researchers and
activists exploring new forms of citizenship. It recently produced a short guide for policy-makers which pulls together some of
the key findings of their research over the last 10 years.
The main headings of the report are: the outcomes of citizen engagement; the
pathways of citizen engagement; the fragilities of citizenship in different
settings and lessons for putting citizens at the centre. Naturally I was drawn
to the section on pathways and particularly the comments relating to the role of
associational life. The report concludes that while associations can be ’schools
of democracy’ this is by no means automatic. It will largely depend on the
nature and style of the associations, i.e. on what they do and how they do it.
Some associations will in effect reproduce existing social inequalities and
hierarchies, while others have the potential to challenge them.
In the document they often quote another recent output from Citizenship DRC,
which focused on outcomes: So What difference does it make? Mapping the outcomes of citizen
engagement. Based on 100 research studies of citizen engagement in 20
countries, it concludes that 75% of the outcomes were positive
(including improved practices of participation; the strengthening of responsive
and accountable states; and the development of inclusive and cohesive societies)
and 25% were negative (including disempowerment and a reduced sense of agencies;
a sense of meaningless, tokenistic, or manipulated participation; the use of new
skills and alliances for corrupt or non-positive ends; and the elite capture of
participatory processes).
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UK: Putting Citizens at the Centre: an Overview of Citizenship DRC Research The Development Research Centre on Citizenship Participation and Accountability Citizenship DRC is an international network of researchers and activists exploring new forms of citizenship It recently produced a short guide for policy-makers which pulls together some of the key findings of their research over the last 10 years
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