Local Democracy, Civic Engagement and Community: From New Labour to the Big Society

Description

This accessible book is about local democracy, civic engagement, political participation and community in Britain. It rejects the many pessimistic accounts that seek to dominate our political discourse with their talk of political apathy, community breakdown and selfish individualism The book focuses on local democratic politics in Britain over the last decade and a half, from the election of the New Labour government right up to the current Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition government. It includes an analysis of local democracy, civic engagement and participation across a range of policy areas and in the context of debates around accountability, legitimacy, sustainability, localism and the 'big society'. Drawing on a wide range of examples, it argues that local democracy is a vibrant terrain of innovation, civic engagement and participation, and dynamic community activity, with a wide variety of informal and formal activity taking place. -- .

Hugh Atkinson is Senior Lecturer in Politics and Public Policy at London South Bank University -- .

The book's insights will prove invaluable to any students, lecturers and local goverment officers interested in mapping the shifting terrain of contemporary local governance in England. -- .