Community, Conflict and the State : Rethinking Notions of 'Safety', 'Cohesion' and 'Wellbeing'

Cooper analyzes how notions of "community," "conflict," "dangerousness" and "safety" have been used and understood in British social policy. By offering a conceptually grounded treatment of these themes, the book seeks to encourage the reader to reflect on the practical policy-oriented application of these ideas under New Labour, particularly in relation to "community safety." The final chapter concludes by revisiting theses four core notions, and in doing so, seeks to expose the myths and contradictions that commonly accompany broad-range concepts of this nature. Traditional Understandings Of What Constitutes Community Safety Have Created A Skewed Understanding Of Crime And Disorder That Ignores The Real Threats To Community Cohesion And Wellbeing. State-sponsored Community Safety Strategies Focus On Property Crime, Street Violence, Drugs And Fear Of Crime. While These Issues Should Be Of Concern To Policy Makers And Practitioners, This Ground Breaking Study Argues That Such Policies Ignore More Serious Threats To Community Safety Caused By The Activities Of The Powerful - Id Est Social Harms Caused By Pro-market Policies, Such As The Effects Of Welfare Cut-backs On Life Chances - Or By The Actions Of Major Corporations - Such As Environmental Pollution. This Book Redresses A Gap In Social Policy And Criminology By Offering A Different Conceptual Understanding Of Community Safety, Based On A More Proportionate Understanding Of Social Harms Inflicted On Communities. Analysing How Notions Of 1community2 And 1conflict2 Have Been Used And Understood In Relation To 1safety2, 1cohesion2 And 1wellbeing2 In British Social Policy, This Study Critiques The Practical Policy-oriented Application Of These Ideas, Particularly In Relation To 1community Wellbeing2. Concluding With Radical Suggestions For Future Social Policy, The Author Offers Practical Proposals For Researching And Working With Communities In Empowering Ways, Which Offer Greater Prospects For Enhancing The Social Wellbeing Of The Many. 'community', 'conflict' And The State : The Historical Field -- Concepts Of 'community' And 'conflict' -- New Labour, Community Safety, Cohesion And Wellbeing -- Rethinking Community Safety, Cohesion And Wellbeing -- Summary And Conclusions : Community Wellbeing For All? Charlie Cooper. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 238-253) And Index. Community safety is a narrowly defined concept that allows states to ignore arguably more serious threats caused by pro-market policies and the actions of major corporations. This book redresses the idea of what constitutes a social harm and outlines a new policy agenda. Traditional understandings of what constitutes community safety have created a skewed understanding of crime and disorder that ignores the real threats to community cohesion and wellbeing. State-sponsored community safety strategies focus on property crime, street violence, drugs and fear of crime. While these issues should be of concern to policy makers and practitioners, this ground breaking study argues that such policies ignore more serious threats to community safety caused by the activities of the powerful -- i.e. social harms caused by pro-market policies, such as the effects of welfare cut-backs on life chances -- or by the actions of major corporations -- such as environmental pollution. This book redresses a gap in social policy and criminology by offering a different conceptual understanding of community safety, based on a more proportionate understanding of social harms inflicted on communities. Analysing how notions of 'community' and 'conflict' have been used and understood in relation to 'safety', 'cohesion' and 'wellbeing' in British social policy, this study critiques the practical policy-oriented application of these ideas, particularly in relation to 'community wellbeing'. Concluding with radical suggestions for future social policy, the author offers practical proposals for researching and working with communities in empowering ways, which offer greater prospects for enhancing the social wellbeing of the many "This book redresses a gap in social policy and criminology by offering a different conceptual understanding of community safety, based on a more proportionate understanding of social harms inflicted on communities. Analysing how notions of 'community' and 'conflict' have been used and understood in relation to 'safety', 'cohesion' and 'wellbeing' in British social policy, this study critiques the practical policy-oriented application of these ideas, particularly in relation to 'community wellbeing'."--BOOK JACKET Front Matter....Pages i-viii Introduction....Pages 1-28 ‘Community’, ‘Conflict’ and the State – the Historical Field....Pages 29-85 Concepts of ‘Community’ and ‘Conflict’....Pages 86-126 New Labour, Community Safety, Cohesion and Wellbeing....Pages 127-171 Rethinking Community Safety, Cohesion and Wellbeing....Pages 172-217 Summary and Conclusions — Community Wellbeing for All?....Pages 218-237 Back Matter....Pages 238-264