This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (12) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Hodgson, L. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Manufactured Civil Society: Counting the Cost

University of Glamorgan

Since its election in 1997, the New Labour government has espoused the value of civil society. Civil society has become increasingly utilized in policy initiatives, especially in regard to regenerating communities and fighting social exclusion. In this regard, civil society, traditionally viewed as a sphere outside of the state, now finds itself engaged in various types of ‘partnerships’ with both the state and the business community. This has had the effect of redrawing the boundaries between civil society and the state. This article examines what I term ‘manufactured’ civil society; that is, groups that look like civil society, but are in fact a mixture of state/voluntary sector organizations. The article concludes that civil society pays a high price for involvement with the state.

Key Words: civil society • New Labour • partnership

Critical Social Policy, Vol. 24, No. 2, 139-164 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/0261018304041948


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Gray and B. Mubangizi Caught in the vortex: can local government community development workers succeed in South Africa? Community Dev. J., March 17, 2009; (2009) bsp007v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Koller and P. Davidson Social exclusion as conceptual and grammatical metaphor: a cross-genre study of British policy-making Discourse Society, May 1, 2008; 19(3): 307 - 331. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Taylor Community Participation in the Real World: Opportunities and Pitfalls in New Governance Spaces Urban Stud, February 1, 2007; 44(2): 297 - 317. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Banks and A. Orton 'The grit in the oyster': Community development workers in a modernizing local authority Community Dev. J., January 1, 2007; 42(1): 97 - 113. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Williams and P. De Lima Devolution, multicultural citizenship and race equality: From laissez-faire to nationally responsible policies Critical Social Policy, August 1, 2006; 26(3): 498 - 522. [Abstract] [PDF]

				G. Day Chasing the dragon? Devolution and the ambiguities of civil society in Wales Critical Social Policy, August 1, 2006; 26(3): 642 - 655. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. Cento Bull and B. Jones Governance and Social Capital in Urban Regeneration: A Comparison between Bristol and Naples Urban Stud, April 1, 2006; 43(4): 767 - 786. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. W. Selsky and B. Parker Cross-Sector Partnerships to Address Social Issues: Challenges to Theory and Practice Journal of Management, December 1, 2005; 31(6): 849 - 873. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. Meade We hate it here, please let us stay! Irish social partnership and the community/voluntary sector's conflicted experiences of recognition Critical Social Policy, August 1, 2005; 25(3): 349 - 373. [Abstract] [PDF]