Big Society Debate

Edited by Armine Ishkanian, Lecturer in NGOs and Development, London School of Economics and Simon Szreter, Professor of History and Public Policy and Fellow of St John’s College, University of Cambridge, UK

• Contents:Introduction: What is Big Society? Contemporary Social Policy in a Historical and Comparative PerspectiveSimon Szreter and Armine IshkanianPART I: HISTORY 1. ‘Big Society’ and ‘Great Society’: A Problem in the History of IdeasJose Harris2. Britain’s Social Welfare Provision in the Long Run: The Importance of Accountable, Well-financed Local GovernmentSimon Szreter3. Big Society, Legal Structures, Poor Law and the Myth of a Voluntary SocietyLorie Charlesworth4. Mutual Aid and the Big SocietyDaniel Weinbren5. Big Society and the National Citizen Service: Young People, Volunteering and Engagement with Charities c.1900–1960Kate Bradley6. Charities, Voluntary Organisations and Non-governmental Organisations in Britain Since 1945Matthew Hilton7. Charity and Big SocietyRichard FriesPART II: POLICY8. ‘Big Society’ as a Rhetorical Intervention Martin Albrow9. Funding and the Big SocietyCathy Pharoah10. Government, Foundations and Big Society: Will You be my Friend?Diana Leat11. Can we ‘Nudge’ Citizens Towards More Civic Action?Liz Richardson12. The Big Society and Volunteering: Ambitions and Expectations Nick Ockenden, Matthew Hill and Joanna Stuart13. European Perspectives on the Big Society Agenda Markus Ketola 14. From ‘Shock Therapy’ to Big Society: Lessons from the Post-Socialist Transitions Armine IshkanianConclusion: The Big Society and Social PolicyDavid Lewis Bibliography Index

[T]he collection provides valuable insights into the use of rhetorical devices and how ''real life'' examples are distorted and disguised to provide evidence of ''what works''. At the time of writing, the Big Society seems to have disappeared from government's central platform, but if the debate is rekindled in the future or elsewhere in the world, then I strongly recommend the book as a source of criticism and counter-evidence.'--Alison Gilchrist, Community Development Journal'[T]his book offers an absorbing, scholarly and highly readable critique of ''Big Society'' and is to be recommended to students, academics and readers who want to learn more about current British social policy.'--Catherine Forde, Voluntas'This text is a worthwhile contribution to a burgeoning field we may wish to call ''Big Society studies''. The breadth of the discussion, not only regarding the topics covered but in encompassing both sociological and social policy perspectives, makes this text relevant to a variety of readers. The editors have delivered contributions with historical and contemporary claims, as well as providing space for critical writers seeing the Big Society as neoliberal rhetoric alongside those engaged in more detailed perspective on the government's policy agenda.'--Matt Dawson, Journal of Social Policy