Youth, Multiculturalism and Community Cohesion (Palgrave Politics of Identity and Citizenship Series)

This book discusses the meaning and practice of British community cohesion policies, youth identities in racially-tense areas and the British government’s attempts to ‘prevent violent extremism’ amongst young Muslims. This book discusses the meaning and practice of British community cohesion policies, youth identities in racially-tense areas and the British government's attempts to 'prevent violent extremism' amongst young Muslims. Since the 2001 'race riots' in the north of England, and the 7/7 London bombings, Britain has appeared to reject multiculturalism. It has instead prioritized a new policy of 'Community Cohesion' that calls for a focus on common needs and shared British identity, rather than on ethnic and religious differences. This has proved a controversial agenda, apparently downplaying the reality of racism and ethnic diversity, and leading to one critic calling it 'the death of multiculturalism'. Little evidence has emerged so far on what Community Cohesion actually represents, but this book addresses that deficit by drawing on empirical research around work with young people to analyse the meaning and practice of British Community Cohesion policies, youth identities in racially-tense areas, and government's attempts to 'prevent violent extremism' amongst young Muslims. It concludes that Community Cohesion is a new phase of multiculturalism, not its death Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 7 Introduction: Community Cohesion – A New British Policy Agenda......Page 10 1 The Emergence of Community Cohesion......Page 23 2 Going with the Flow? International Comparisons......Page 51 3 Community Cohesion: The Death of the British Model of Multiculturalism?......Page 78 4 Myths and Realities: Community Cohesion in Practice......Page 101 5 Community Cohesion: More than Ethnicity?......Page 125 6 Unwilling Citizens? Muslim Young People and Identity......Page 142 7 White Young People and Community Cohesion – Refusing Contact?......Page 160 8 A Contradiction to Community Cohesion? The ‘Preventing Violent Extremism’ Agenda......Page 177 9 Conclusion: Community Cohesion as a New Phase of British Multiculturalism......Page 196 Bibliography......Page 207 Index......Page 218 Introduction: community cohesion: a new British policy agenda The emergence of community cohesion Going with the flow?: international comparisons Community cohesion: the death of the British model of multiculturalism? Myths and realities: community cohesion in practice Community cohesion: more than ethnicity? Unwilling citizens?: Muslim young people and identity White young people and community cohesion: refusing contract? A contradiction to community cohesion?: the preventing violent extremism agenda Conclusion: community cohesion as a new phase of British multiculturalism.