Vivien Lowndes Presentation tcm6 15649

Slide1: 

Faith, hope and clarity: Developing a model of faith group involvement in civil renewal Vivien Lowndes and Rachael Chapman Local Governance Research Unit De Montfort University, Leicester ESRC/NCVO Seminar, 15 June 2006

Civil renewal: policy and practice: 

Civil renewal: policy and practice Active citizenship Strengthened communities Partnership in meeting public needs

What role for faith groups?: 

What role for faith groups? Harnessing the contribution of civil society: wellbeing and governance But are faith groups special? Rationales are implicit and often contested on the ground Bottom-up as well as top-down

The role of faith groups: existing research: 

Trust in political institutions No clear link with civic competence Ambiguous evidence on social capital Intervening variables: faith group organisation; civic skills; policy orientation; institutional context The role of faith groups: existing research

Rationales for faith group involvement: 

Normative: community values and identities, linked to beliefs but also enduring presence within communities Resources: organisational capacity (volunteers, staff, social networks) and links to excluded groups Governance: representative and leadership role inside communities and within wider governance arena Rationales for faith group involvement

Normative rationale in practice: values-added?: 

Normative rationale in practice: values-added? Holistic commitments Embedded identities Expressing diversity Remoralising society

Resources rationale in practice: capitalising civil renewal?: 

Resources rationale in practice: capitalising civil renewal? Top-down vs bottom-up Resource variation Human capital Social capital Physical capital

Governance rationale in practice: a gateway to structures?: 

Governance rationale in practice: a gateway to structures? Participation Leadership Representation Community cohesion ‘Britishness’

The civil renewal agenda: how the rationales fit together: 

The civil renewal agenda: how the rationales fit together Normative –> motivation for engagement –> active citizenship Resources –> capacity for engagement –> strengthened communities Governance –> outcome of engagement –> partnership/cohesion

Challenges for policy-makers: 

Challenges for policy-makers Normative: religious literacy; secular commitments; faith diversity and conflict. Resources: mapping endowments; flexible funding; specialist capacity building. Governance: identifying leaders; assessing mandates; multi-channel representation.

Challenges for faith groups: 

Challenges for faith groups Normative: policy literacy; balancing commitments; values for ‘faith sector’. Resources: stewardship; renewal; marketing. Governance: supporting leaders; building a constituency; accountability; inter-faith platform.

Mapping faith involvement: a diagnostic tool: 

Mapping faith involvement: a diagnostic tool ACTORS IN THE FAITH SECTOR Faith communities Faith organisations Faith networks Faith leadership F/representation ROLE IN CIVIL RENEWAL Citizens Members Intermediaries Leaders Partners