POLT07003 2022 Political, Civic Engagement and Active Citizenship

The nature of citizens’ political and civic engagement is continually evolving and closely connected to the themes of state, society, democracy and dominant cultural and technological forces. In this module, we will critically explore social change and activism in contemporary society. We will consider the different forms of political activism , to include an analysis and discussion of citizen organisations represented through formal NGOs and less organised forms of active citizenship which take the form of social movements, popular protest and direct action. Considering a range of contemporary case studies, we will explore the role of social media in social change and consider whether it has the potential to offer new possibilities for mobilisation and citizen engagement. The nebulous relationship and boundaries between the state and citizens' political, civic, and civil engagement shall also be explored. Taking a three-pronged approach the module will explore the topic of active citizenship; firstly, at the institutional or structural level, by exploring the political national and international structures and policies which facilitate or hinder active citizenship; secondly, the meso level by considering the importance of organisational/grassroots mobilisation, social media, resources and survival; and thirdly, at the individual level, how and why do people collectively mobilise, and what are the factors which influence individuals’ participation.

Active Citizenship gathers a group of political actors and academics who believe a radically more active citizenship is a worthy aim. They spell out how it can be achieved in their particular area of concern, looking at the obstacles and how they might be overcome. Together, they shows us how we can realise the dream of a citizen culture and what benefits it would bring for democracy in the UK.Bernard Crick's first and final essays set the tone, respectively, on Civic Republicanism Today and Political Identity. Other contributors consider active citizenship in relation to: Labour Government Policy (David Blunkett and Matthew Taylor); Scottish Devolution (George Reid); Public Services (David Donnison); Gender Equality (Rhona Fitzgerald); Schools (Pamela Munn); Multiculturalism (Dina Kiwan); Integrating Immigrants (Elizabeth Meehan); Lifelong Learning (John Annette); Europe and International Understanding (Derek Heater); Young People (Andrew Lockyer) and Scottish Independence (Kevin Francis).

Information and communication technologies have transformed the dynamics of contention in contemporary society. Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, and devices such as smartphones have increasingly played a central role in facilitating and mobilizing social movements throughout different parts of the world. Concurrently, the same technologies have been taken up by public authorities (including security agencies and the police) and have been used as surveillance tools to monitor and suppress the activities of certain demonstrators. This book explores the complex and contradictory relationships between communication and information technologies and social movements by drawing on different case studies from around the world. The contributions analyse how new communication and information technologies impact the way protests are carried out and controlled in the current information age. The authors focus on recent events that date from the Arab Spring onwards and pose questions regarding the future of protests, surveillance and digital landscapes.

This volume presents an authoritative, comparative examination of the structure, processes, and behaviour of social movements.

A new, fully-revised and updated edition of the leading introduction to social movements and collective action covers a broad range of approaches in the social sciences. Now in its third edition, Social Movements is the market-leading introductory text on collective action in contemporary society. The text draws from theory-driven, systematic empirical research from across the social sciences to address central questions and concepts in the field. Sophisticated yet reader-friendly chapters offer critical analyses of relevant literature whilst exploring important issues and debates. The global political landscape has undergone significant changes in the years since this books initial publication, such as the spread of online protests, the resurgence of nationalist and right-wing activity, global revolts, and increased social and economic polarization. This thoroughly updated edition offers fresh discussions of recent social movements against austerity from around the world, new empirical examples, references to recent episodes of contention, an expanded comparative approach to social movement theory in the scientific literature, and more. Positioned at the intersection of sociology and political science, this book: Presents an empirical and engaging exploration of contemporary social movements Discusses topics such as organizing within social movements, eventful protests, political opportunities, symbolism and identity in collective action, and social change Highlights how core mechanisms of collective action operate in different movements, past and present Provides a conceptual methodology useful for social science students and researchers alike Highlights how core mechanisms of collective action operate in different movements in the past and present Written by two internationally recognized experts in sociology and political science, the third edition of Social Movements: An Introduction is an essential course text and a must-read for students and scholars of sociology, political sociology, political science, and social movement studies.

Reading List

Castells, M. (2012) Networks of Outrage and Hope: Social Movements in the Internet Age, Polity Press London.

Crossley, N. (2002) Making Sense of Social Movements. Buckingham: Open University Press.

Daly, M. (2003). Governance and social policy. Journal of Social Policy, 32(1), 113-128.

Doyle, M. (2015) The Politics of Old Age: Older People:-:-#8217::::s Interest Organisation and Collective Action in Ireland. Manchester: Manchester University Press.

Forde, C. (2005). Participatory democracy or pseudo-participation? Local government reform in Ireland. :-:-#160::::Local Government Studies, 31 (2), 137-148.

Hughes, I., Clancy, P., Harris, C., :-:-amp:::: Beetham, D. (2007). Power to the people? Assessing democracy in Ireland. Dublin: TASC.

Kirby, P. (2006). Bringing social inclusion to centre stage: towards a project of active citizenship. In D. Jacobson, P. Kirby :-:-amp:::: D. :-:-#211:::: Broin (Eds.), Taming the tiger: Social exclusion in a globalised Ireland (pp. 180-199).

Marinetto, M. (2003). Who wants to be an active citizen? The politics and practices of community involvement Sociology, 37, 103-120.

McCarthy, J., D., :-:-amp:::: Zald, M. N. (1977). Resource mobilization and social movements: A partial theory. The American Journal of Sociology, 82 (6), 1212-1241.

Melucci, A (1999) Challenging Codes: Collective Action in the Information Age. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Murphy, G. (2003). Pluralism and the politics of morality. In M. Adshead :-:-amp:::: M. Millar (Eds.), Public Administration and Public Policy in Ireland (pp. 20-36). London: Routledge.

Murphy, G. (2005). Interest groups in the policy-making process. In J. Coakley :-:-amp:::: M. Gallagher (Eds.), Politics in the Republic of Ireland (pp. 352-383). New York, NY: Routledge.

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OECD. (2009). Focus on citizens: Public engagement for better policy and services. Paris: OECD.

Putnam, R. (2000). Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. New York: Simon :-:-amp:::: Schuster.

Tarrow, S. (1994). Power in Movement: Collective Action, Social Movements and Politics: Cambridge University Press