From Big Society to Shared Society? Geographies of social cohesion and encounter in the UK’s National Citizen Service

Sarah Mills,Catherine Waite

doi:10.1080/04353684.2017.1392229

Sarah Mills, Catherine Waite

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1080/04353684.2017.1392229

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Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article explores and expands debates on the geographies of social cohesion and encounter, specifically in relation to young people and informal citizenship training. Three questions drive our agenda in this paper. First, how do certain youth spaces get enrolled into wider political discourses, functioning as geographical expressions of government visions to create a political legacy? Second, how are these spaces engineered and operate on-the-ground? Finally, how do young people understand their experiences of such spaces? To address these questions, we use the example of ‘National Citizen Service’ – a youth programme operating in England and Northern Ireland – to raise critical questions about the wider politics of spaces of informal education and attempts by the state to ‘make’ citizens and future neighbours. The article examines the rationale for this growing scheme, targeted at 15–17 year olds and designed to foster a ‘more cohesive, responsible and engaged society’. Drawing on original fieldwork with key architects, stakeholders and young people, we analyse the narratives that underlie NCS and its expansion – specifically around social cohesion and citizenship education. We explore the idea of ‘social mix’ as one of NCS’ guiding principles and its place as part of state narratives about the ‘Big Society’ and ‘Shared Society’.

Highlights

A range of geographical work and interdisciplinary scholarship has examined the role and potential of education, and citizenship education, for social cohesion (Butler and Hamnett 2007; Kiwan 2007, 2008; Nagel and Staeheli 2016)
A number of urban sites and settings have been considered by geographers as arenas for encounters infused with the politics of multicultural difference
We argue that National Citizen Service (NCS) aimed to create a universal service with an offer for all young people to foster social cohesion and social mobility, it drew upon certain constructions of social difference and enfolded certain young people and families into its policy objectives

Summary

Introduction

A range of geographical work and interdisciplinary scholarship has examined the role and potential of education, and citizenship education, for social cohesion (Butler and Hamnett 2007; Kiwan 2007, 2008; Nagel and Staeheli 2016). A number of urban sites and settings have been considered by geographers as arenas for encounters infused with the politics of multicultural difference These studies have variously engaged with Amin’s (2002) concept of ‘micropublic’ spaces and include research on public transport (Wilson 2011), places of worship (Andersson et al 2011), the school (Hemming 2011; Wilson 2014), playground (Wilson 2013b), University campus (Andersson, Sadgrove, and Valentine 2012), sports projects (Mayblin, Valentine, and Andersson 2016) and youth clubs (Mills 2016). NCS Trust advertises three core reasons why it exists: social cohesion, social mobility and social engagement, ‘to help tackle some of the biggest social challenges in our country’ These contemporary narratives echo a wider genealogy which we trace in the following empirical discussion, as well as interrogating these claims and policy rhetoric through uncovering what these ideas mean for stakeholders and young people in practice. We provide an overview of the methods of data collection and analysis that this article draws upon

Methodology

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Conclusion